Security of supply
We are driven by our mission to make sure the lights stay on, and that power is available whenever and wherever you need it
Delivering a high security of supply
A growing challenge
In today’s connected world, we assume that power will always be available, when we flick a switch or reach for a power outlet. We rely on electricity to power every aspect of our lives – at work, home and on the move. Delivering a high security of supply in today’s fast-changing and unpredictable energy market is a growing challenge.
But thanks to TenneT’s decades of experience in operating our grid, together with a clear vision of how the future grid and electricity markets should be designed, we are able to secure supply for today and in the future.
Making sure that over 41 million people across the Netherlands and Germany enjoy uninterrupted access to electricity is the foundation of our business. It is a huge responsibility that we are proud to meet, every minute of every day.
Grid expansion
Providing the high-voltage electricity grid that millions of homes and businesses depend on is the most important thing we do. As Europe strives to become carbon neutral by 2050, the electricity infrastructure at the heart of the energy transition is undergoing a major redesign.
Security of supply means investing in new assets, performing necessary maintenance, and linking our grid into the Northwest European network. This means TenneT is investing heavily in critical infrastructure – including new high-voltage power lines, new cross-border connections and offshore platforms far out in the North Sea to bring wind-generated electricity onto the mainland.
Upgrading and future-proofing our network in this way allows us to maintain our record as one of the world’s most reliable grid operators.
To prepare the infrastructure that will help to reach these goals, TenneT aims to realise at least 5,000 km of new high-voltage lines and cables and nearly 30 GW of offshore wind energy connected by 2030.
Grid reconstruction
As we look ahead, we must continue to ensure a near-perfect security of supply, despite the increasing complexity of running a carbon-neutral energy system. Innovation will be critical for meeting this challenge, not only related to more effective and efficient use of our assets, but also to boost our system operations and market design.
To cope with the increased complexity and volatility of the energy system we must strengthen the grid. Currently, in several parts of our serving area, including provinces in the Netherlands, some sections of our grid do not have the capacity to connect more renewable energy sources. With additional transformers and adjustments to the regional high-voltage grid, we aim to create structural solutions, with plans to invest up to EUR 450 million on measures to reinforce the grid in these regions.
Going forward, we expect to identify more of these bottlenecks which we will resolve to ensure that our grid is future-proof and can support the energy transition.
Maintenance
In addition to reinforcing our infrastructure, we are also increasing our investments in maintenance. Ensuring that our grid is fit to operate at its maximum capacity is key to our ongoing commitment to secure supply today and in the future and to our maintenance strategy. However, as our grid becomes larger and more complex, and considering that some of our older assets were installed in the 1950s and 60s and even before, our maintenance work presents a growing logistical challenge and at increasing costs. The focused application of our maintenance efforts is helping to maintain the availability of our grid and to do more with scarce resources.
