Twice Round the World: Enexis Netbeheer Invests 2.3 Billion Euros in Electricity Cables to Expand Power Grid

Over the next 12 years, Enexis Netbeheer intends to lay more than 76,000 kilometres of thick power cables in the ground to expand the electricity network in the Dutch provinces of Groningen, Drenthe, Overijssel, Brabant and Limburg. Some 40,000 kilometres of medium-voltage cables and more than 36,000 kilometres of low-voltage cables are needed for the reinforcement and expansion of neighbourhood grids. To facilitate the operation, Enexis is scaling up from three to eight cable suppliers after a tender worth 2.3 billion euros.

These impressive figures demonstrate the huge scale of this historic renovation of the electrical grid in the Netherlands. While the connected capacity of solar and wind installations continues to increase significantly, the electrification of society is driving demand at a similarly rapid pace. As a consequence, network capacity in many areas is reaching its limits and hundreds of entire neighbourhoods need to be dug up to strengthen low-voltage networks. Also, a great many local distribution substations need to be built, and new medium-voltage cables will be laid to cover both long and short distances. A vast amount of cable in all.

Security of supply essential

“The task of expanding and reinforcing the network in such a short space of time is quite a challenge, but it would obviously be impossible without cables to lay in the trenches - everything would grind to a halt,” says Enexis CEO Rutger van der Leeuw. “We want to guarantee supply security of the requisite cables on a par with increasing volumes, which is why we are scaling up from three to eight suppliers. For the Enexis service area alone, we need a total cable length to take us around the world twice, as it were. We really are talking a staggering amount of cable.”

Collaboration with five new suppliers

Enexis Netbeheer’s three existing suppliers, Prysmian Netherlands, Twentsche Kabelfabriek and Waskönig+Walter Kabel-Werk, will continue to produce cables for the network operator as before. Now, from the tender, a further five are coming on board: Tele-Fonika Kable, NKT A/S, Hellenic Cables, KLZ Vertriebs and GM Products.

Van der Leeuw: “We’ve always been perfectly satisfied with our existing suppliers and are very happy that they’re staying on. At the same time, we are delighted to now welcome five new manufacturers as our partners. They, too, will play a crucial role in our expansion operation over the coming years.”

Circularity

Enexis strives to promote the circularity of materials used in cables, as well as of the manufacturing process itself. An important point of focus in this respect is reduction of virgin materials – materials that have never been used or applied before.

Judith Linssen, Director of Procurement at Enexis Netbeheer: “We are very pleased to be continuing the relationship with our trusted suppliers and are very much looking forward to working with our five new cable partners. The expansion of our supplier pool not only guarantees future supply security, it will also enable us to make a positive impact on circularity together.”