High-voltage substation at Luttelgeest operational

06-10-2011 A new 110 kV substation at Luttelgeest has been put into operation over the weekend. The facility is necessary to link up commercial gardeners in the region that supply electricity back to the grid. Last weekend, the first horticultural businesses were linked up to the electricity grid using the new substation.

The new high-voltage substation forms a link between the national high-voltage grid managed by TenneT and the regional medium-voltage grid managed by Enexis, and it strengthens the electricity grid in the region. The facility has been constructed in close collaboration between the two grid managers and in consultation with local authorities and the horticultural sector in the region. In recent years, more and more commercial gardeners have been taking advantage of the opportunity to produce electricity in small-scale combined-heat-and-power (CHP) plants. Glasshouse horticulture currently accounts for 13 percent of Dutch production capacity (3,300 MW). In this way, horticultural businesses can make a substantial contribution towards achieving the government’s CO₂ reduction targets.

The new substation will be linked up to the 110 kV transmission grid by means of a branch connection to the existing high-voltage power line. In addition to the required control and safety equipment and switchgear, transformers have been installed to convert the electricity to a higher voltage level.

In addition to the substation at Luttelgeest that has just become operational, there are currently two more facilities under construction in the north-east of the Netherlands. These substations at Klazienaveen and IJsselmuiden will be taken into operation in November 2011 and January 2012, respectively.