Netherlands: SPIE selected by TenneT to reinforce the Zaanstreek and north Amsterdam power grid

Oostzaan, Breda, 24 April 2024 -SPIE Nederland, the Dutch subsidiary of SPIE, the independent European leader in multi-technical services in the areas of energy and communications, was awarded a contract on 24 April by the national grid operator TenneT for the construction of a 150kV high-voltage substation in Oostzaan.This will be TenneT's first station for grid reinforcement in Zaanstreek and north Amsterdam. The contract was signed today at the headquarters of SPIE Nederland by Maarten Abbenhuis (Chief Operational Officer, TenneT), Sjouke Bootsma (Director of Procurement, TenneT) and Lieve Declercq (General Manager, SPIE Nederland). Preparatory work for the station has already started; SPIE will begin construction in December 2024.

Reinforcing the power grid around Amsterdam

The growing use of renewable energy in and around Amsterdam is making it necessary to reinforce the electricity grid; businesses and households are requesting new connections or more power for their existing ones. More and more sustainable electricity is being generated using wind turbines and solar panels and needs to be transported to consumers via the electricity grid. The high-voltage grid operator TenneT and the regional grid operator Liander are therefore expanding the capacity of the grid. The new 150 kV substation is being built close to an existing 380 kV high-voltage substation in Oostzaan to feed Liander's transformer station. In the future, the stations will supply the north of Amsterdam and the port with the extra electricity needed.

Maarten Abbenhuis, COO of TenneT: "Over the next 10 years, TenneT will invest around €60 billion to strengthen the high-voltage grid in the Netherlands. SPIE is one of TenneT's key partners in this expansion. The 150 kV station in Oostzaan is the first link in the reinforcement of the grid in the Amsterdam region, with which we will gradually increase capacity and make room for new connections in the coming years".

Lieve Declercq, Managing Director of SPIE Nederland:"I am very proud that we can also carry out this mission for TenneT. In my opinion, we are truly working together as partners and jointly taking responsibility for achieving the energy transition in the Netherlands".

Construction starts at the end of 2024

The 150kV high-voltage substation for TenneT will be built by SPIE. TenneT and SPIE have spent the last year and a half designing the high-voltage substation, the actual construction of which will start in December 2024. The station will consist of two GIS buildings and a central service building, with control cabinets. SPIE is preparing the site for construction and providing part of the infrastructure on the site. The company will partner with contractor Geerdink to carry out the structural and civil engineering work.