Electricity shortages are possible in the Netherlands by the end of this decade, Dutch power grid operator TenneT said on Thursday, in what is just the latest forecast for power outages.
While media has spoke of near-term power outages in Europe that could hit this winter or next, TenneT is eyeing energy shortfalls near the end of the decade-a side effect of the ongoing switch away from fossil fuels and towards renewables.
TenneT said that while the switch away from fossil fuels will drive power demand, power generation is growing increasingly weather dependent, with disruptions likely.
As production processes switch to electric and Europe sees to the closure of many of its flexible power plants that run on fossil fuels, including coal, international supply will become more uncertain, TenneT said on Thursday, according to Reuters.
TenneT sees domestic supply as sufficient to meet the demand for the next couple of years. But towards the end of the decade, the power landscape looks increasingly shaky.
Tennet said these shortages could be prevented by increasing the flexibility of electricity supply and demand, for starters. Other measures that will be required to stave off power outages are technological advancements in finding ways to store power from renewable energy such as wind and solar, and expanding connections with British and Scandinavian grids.
The Dutch Council of Ministers approved plans to build two new nuclear power plans last month, with completion scheduled for 2035. The nuclear power additions are expected to supply between 9 and 13% of the Netherlands' total electricity needs. The plants have a combined price tag of $5.34 billion. The notion of small modular reactors in the Netherlands also hasn't been entirely dismissed.
By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com
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Julianne Geiger is a veteran editor, writer and researcher for Oilprice.com, and a member of the Creative Professionals Networking Group. More