We are primarily tasked with providing power transmission services, system services and facilitating the energy market. Our core tasks follow from our appointment as grid operator under the Dutch 'Elektriciteitswet' (E-wet) and the German 'Energiewirtschaftsgesetz' (EnWG).
TenneT presents Hub and Spoke concept for large scale wind energy on the North Sea.
Read moreTenneT manages the high-voltage grid in the Netherlands and large parts of Germany. TenneT transmits electricity at 110,000 volts (110 kV) and higher. With around 23,000 kilometres of high-voltage lines, we cross borders and connect countries.
The energy sector is developing rapidly. The process of European market integration began some years ago. Its purpose is to create a single European market that enables market parties to trade gas and electricity across national borders easily and efficiently.
We provide transparency data on our operations on our Dutch and German transparency page and on ENTSO-E.
To transparency pagesOur vision is to be one of the most transparent Transmission System Operators (TSO) in Europe and thereby creating value for society. In this Energy Insights section we present selected energy related topics and show data, information and valuable insights.
TenneT is a leading European electricity transmission system operator (TSO), with activities in the Netherlands and in Germany. We strive to ensure a reliable and uninterrupted supply of electricity in our high-voltage grid for some 41 million people.
Special Framework Conditions at Sea and Land
TenneT's offshore projects take place in a sensitive and therefore particularly protected environment. Therefore, TenneT has to meet strict requirements for work at sea, in the mud flats and on land. For example, when piles are driven into the seabed for the installation of the converter platforms, the animals must be protected from construction noise by adequate noise protection measures. Close temporal construction windows also apply to protect the flora and fauna. In the Wadden Sea National Park, for example, birds may not be built during the breeding and resting periods.
At the same time, the often difficult weather conditions at sea present TenneT with particularly great challenges. Wind, weather and waves make it difficult to work at sea. Cables, for example, can only be laid at a temperature of at least five degrees Celsius. Many work at sea can only be carried out up to a certain wave height, so that weather and waves have a great influence on the construction time.
The working environment at sea carries numerous risks. That is why the topic of occupational safety is particularly important at TenneT, because emergency measures take a long time due to the distance to the coast. TenneT therefore regularly invests in safety trainings and courses so that employees at sea can do a good and safe job.
Old ammunition in the North Sea, which was disposed of at sea during and after the Second World War, is also causing problems. The German authorities estimate that around 1.3 million tons of munitions are stored on the seabed of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea - including grenades, mines and ammunition as well as 170,000 tons of chemical warfare agents. They represent a considerable safety risk for humans, nature and animals. TenneT is clearing these ammunition along the cable route and thus making an important contribution to safety in the North Sea.
