The European Investment Bank has agreed to provide a Eur450 million loan to TenneT Holding to finance construction and operation of an 83km 380kV transmission connection between the Hague and Rotterdam. This will close the ‘Randstad 380’ extra-high voltage electricity transmission ring.
The project will connect offshore wind farms and the UK interconnector to the Dutch high voltage grid, improve security of supply and cater for predicted increased electricity demand around Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht, the four largest Dutch cities and the surrounding Randstad region, one of the most populated parts of Europe. Completion of the high-voltage link will improve international electricity links between the Netherlands and France, Belgium, the UK and Germany and is essential for the proper functioning of both the electricity network and supply system.
Over the last five years the European Investment Bank, the European Union’s long-term lending institution, has lent Eur2 billion for energy schemes in the Netherlands, notably support for renewable energy, electricity transmission, gas and biomass projects.