Grid congestion in Gelderland: urgent, but no reason to rush

At Volt, we see grid congestion as an urgent problem with direct consequences for housing construction, sustainability, and the economic development of Gelderland. That is precisely why we believe that swift and sensible action must be taken.

Why Volt was critical of the extra meeting
At Volt, we were critical of the way in which this extra Provincial Council meeting was organized.

Network congestion is not a new problem; it has been going on for years. Because the meeting was scheduled at short notice, there was little time to properly prepare and coordinate motions and amendments. This made the process messy. Moreover, a regular Provincial Council meeting was already scheduled three weeks later.

An early debate does not automatically result in faster implementation. After all, everyone in the States already agreed that something had to be done. That is precisely why we felt it was important to carefully consider which measures would really help and which were mainly symbolic or had undesirable side effects.

No panic measures
Volt wants to prevent measures being taken under time pressure that cause more damage than they solve in the long term. Examples include proposals such as:

• relaxing nitrogen regulations;

• upgrading the grid without properly involving local residents;

• a general halt to new energy projects.

These are drastic choices with major consequences, while not necessarily providing a structural solution.

Our commitment
For Volt, it is important that the commitments made in the debate are actually implemented and that it remains clear what the province can and cannot do to limit grid congestion. We want Gelderland to move forward with solutions, but in a way that is careful, explainable, and future-oriented.