Interview with Deventer alderman Jaimi van Essen
Enexis is rapidly expanding Deventer's electricity network. Streets and pavements are being opened up to lay new cables, and the city will see 350 new transformer houses. Alderman Jaimi van Essen highlights the close cooperation with Enexis as a key factor in achieving outstanding results. ‘We’re really sticking our necks out.’
Like many other cities, Deventer is experiencing increasing grid congestion. Businesses are on waiting lists for connections, and residents occasionally notice their lights flickering. ‘As a city council, we agreed that this situation should not go on any longer than necessary,’ says Van Essen. ‘So we signed a cooperation agreement (CA) with Enexis. This formalises our commitment to work together to speed up the expansion of the electricity network.’
Substantial investments
This expansion is essential to meet the growing demand for electricity and the increasing supply from renewable sources, he says. ‘Enexis needs land and the necessary permits to move forward. These processes often take a long time. By working together, we can decide where to place transformer houses faster. We can also coordinate planning and communication with residents more effectively.’ To move forward. And with it, permits. These processes often take a long time. By working together, we can decide more quickly where to put the transformer houses. We can also fine-tune things like planning and communication with residents. In 2024, the municipality will free up €1.5 million to tackle grid congestion. This ranges from smarter use of electricity and the implementation of smart energy hubs to grid expansion. 'We will do it again in 2025. We are really sticking our neck out with this.'
We’re really sticking our necks out
Limited space
Around 350 new transformer houses will be built in Deventer to expand the grid. Sites for the first two districts have already been identified. ‘The search was a challenge because space is limited,’ says the alderman. ‘We’re also looking at ways to help these buildings blend in with their surroundings, for example with greenery or art. After all, transformer houses aren’t particularly attractive. In our beautiful historic city centre, we prefer to keep them out of sight. Enexis is working with us to find the best possible solutions.’
New distribution station
As the first municipality in the Netherlands, Deventer has also acquired a right of first refusal on a site to construct a high-voltage and medium-voltage substation. This means these 13 hectares of land have been reserved for a new electricity distribution station, the third in Deventer. ‘Businesses and residents in our municipality want to become more sustainable and are increasingly switching from fossil fuels to electricity,’ Van Essen says. ‘As a result, the electricity demand is increasing. This makes a third distribution station necessary.’
Using capacity
Van Essen says the partnership with Enexis is going well. ‘We listen to each other, understand each other’s expertise and can use it well. Communication with residents is also important. They have to deal with disturbances or a transformer house in their street. Of course, they have feelings about it, and rightly so. It’s much better to explain things in an information meeting than just leaving a note in their letterbox. Fortunately, Enexis is increasingly recognising the importance of this.’
In addition to expanding the power grid, the municipality is also working to make better use of existing capacity. ‘It makes a big difference if we don’t all charge our cars or run the tumble dryer at the same time. Together with Enexis and the housing associations, we’re looking at ways to distribute energy use better. We’re also looking at grid-conscious building, where construction takes into account the capacity and load on the energy grid. Everything is aimed at minimising the impact of grid congestion and optimising the use of the electricity system.’