Map of national transmission grid

Cover grid map May 2011 01-01-2010 As the premier electricity transmission operator it is our task to watch over the continuity of electricity supplies in the Netherlands and a substantial part of Germany. We use the national grid to transmit large quantities of electricity longer distances. The transmission grid is also connected to the grids of our neighbouring countries.

What does TenneT manage?

The national high-voltage grid consists of four types of high-voltage lines and cables: 380 kilovolt (kV), 220 kV, 150 kV and 110 kV. These are the standard voltage levels used in Europe for the transmission of large quantities of electricity.

TenneT manages the 110 kV, 150 kV, 220 kV and the 380 kV grids throughout the Netherlands. All high-voltage lines and cables are connected to one another via substations. The high-voltage grid branches off into 27 regional distribution grids. The distribution grids are operated by the regional grid administrators and transmit electricity to the end-users.

Ring-shaped structure

The high-voltage grid in the Netherlands consists of two rings: a smaller ring (220 kV and 380 kV) in the northeast of the country and a larger ring (380 kV) that more or less serves the rest of the Netherlands. Two 380 kV grids branch off from the larger ring: one serving the Randstad region and another serving the province of Zeeland.

The ring-shaped structure of the national grid has one important advantage: in the event of a power failure TenneT can continue to supply power to almost all of the Netherlands by reversing the direction of the electrical current. The ring-shaped structure is clearly shown on the grid map.

Additional ring

TenneT is working on expanding the capacity of the high-voltage grid in the Netherlands through such projects as Randstad 380 kV, North-West 380 kV and South-West 380 kV.

In the Randstad conurbation, the construction of a new high-voltage connection between the Maasvlakte industrial zone and the Westerlee, Wateringen, Bleiswijk, Beverwijk and Diemen substations will create a ring-shaped structure and improved security of supply. The Randstad 380 kV project was started in 2004 and is expected to take about ten years to complete.
In the north of the country, a new connection is being constructed from Eemshaven in Groningen, via Ens, to Diemen. The North-West 380 kV project was started in 2008 and is expected to take about eight years to complete. This new connection will create a new ring in the north.
A new ring-shaped structure is being constructed in the south due to the South-West 380 kV project, a new connection from Borssele to West Brabant. The project was started in 2010 and will be ready by 2014.

Cross-border connections

ENTSO-E
As of 2009, 42 European Transmission System Operators (TSOs) from 34 countries are working together in a new organisation called ‘European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity’ (ENTSO-E). ENTSO-E ensures better collaboration between the TSOs in a number of key areas, such as the development of technical and market-based grid codes and the coordination of system operation and grid development. The objective is to improve the integration of the European electricity market, to contribute to a sustainable energy landscape and to guarantee the secure, reliable operation of the European electricity transmission grid. You can find the transmission grid of ENTSO-E at the website www.entsoe.eu.

The cross-border interconnections also encourage free-market operation in the energy sector. Regional grid administrators and large companies can buy their electricity abroad. TenneT ensures that the electricity is properly transmitted.

TenneT is currently working on an expansion of its cross-border connections. In 2008, the Dutch national grid is linked onderseas with Norway. BritNed is a similar project, realising a cable connection between the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. This link is currently under development. Further study is undertaken of the possibilities of a onderseas cable to Denmark (Cobra cable).

Downloads

Grid map TenneT May 2011 (pdf 6,19 Mb)