Progress

The Randstad380 project got underway in 2004. Here is a summary of the latest developments.

Search area for Randstad 380 kV connection unchanged (02-07-07)

TenneT, the administrator of the national electricity grid, wants to realise a new 380 kV high-voltage line between Beverwijk and Wateringen near The Hague. For this purpose, the second Electricity Supply Structure Plan (SEV) must be partially revised via a key planning decision. On 28 June 2007, Minister Van der Hoeven of Economic Affairs and Minister Cramer of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment submitted parts 2 and 3 of the key planning decision for this “Randstad 380 kV connection” to the Lower House of Dutch Parliament. 

Part 2 contains an overview of the public comments and recommendations received and the results of administrative consultation. In part 3, the cabinet indicates how it has taken account of the public comments and recommendations and it sets out its points of view. 

Full story on the website of the ministry of Economic Affairs (in Dutch)

Agreements on Maasvlakte (20-06-2007)

TenneT signed two agreements with Electrabel for new plants at Lelystad and at the Maasvlakte industrial zone near Rotterdam. The recently concluded agreements mean that no more connection capacity is available at the Maasvlakte location. In the coming years, new connections with a total capacity of more than 4000 MW will be realised there. In 2005 TenneT started work on the Randstad380 project. This large‑scale project will ensure a structural expansion of the transmission capacity in the Randstad region of the Netherlands. The southern section of this new line is expected to be complete by the end of 2010. "It's of great importance for both market parties and consumers that Randstad380 will not be delayed", says CEO of TenneT Mel Kroon.

Information evenings following initial memorandum on Wateringen Zoetermeer line (20-04-2007)

In April three information evenings were held in Delft, Bleiswijk and Pijnacker for the Randstad380 project. The evenings were organised by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and TenneT. Local residents were able to obtain information and get answers to their questions from staff of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment and TenneT about the initial memorandum on the southern ring. This is a document that contains details of a section of the new high voltage line. For more information on the initial memorandum, visit bureau-energieprojecten.

Consultation on initial memorandum for environmental impact assessment for Wateringen Zoetermeer high voltage line (02-04-2007)

In its Key Planning Decision on the Randstad380 line, the Dutch government stated that a new high voltage line needed to be built between Wateringen and Zoetermeer to assure a sufficient supply of electricity to the (southern) Randstad region from approximately 2011 onwards. Read the press release on the website of the Ministry of Economic Affairs.

Government approves Randstad380 project (30-10-2006)

The Dutch government gave the go ahead on 13 October 2006 for the Randstad380 project, which will involve the construction of two new 380 kV lines in the Randstad. The decision cleared the way for an investment in the Randstad high voltage grid to build the Wateringen Bleiswijk and Zoetermeer Beverwijk lines over the next few years. Read the full press release.

Symbolic starting signal (08-09-2004)

With the completion of an initial bore below the Caland canal, TenneT managing director Mel Kroon gave the symbolic starting signal for constructing a new high voltage line in the Randstad. Read the full press release.