Generally, no government outside the responsible ministry is positive about these developments. The province has spent recent months working towards a careful and future-proof advice based on ecological, landscape, and technical criteria. The studies show that the two northern variants are the least negative and permitable options. We therefore advise the Government to choose the least harmful solution, which is legally sustainable and can be realized right the first time.
The minister calls it a project of national importance, but according to Deputy Sijbe Knol, it is the region that pays the price: “The minister has never attended a meeting with our region about this 380 kV connection. We have invited the minister several times to the administrative meeting on November 20th, where the regional advice will be discussed. No response. That is quite remarkable, especially because this project has a major impact on our residents and the Frisian landscape.”
Energy Deal
Province of Fryslân endorses the national importance of the energy transition, but it is crucial that the Government also pays attention to regional consequences. We contribute by working hard on making Fryslân more sustainable. However, we also see that many national projects (gas extraction, PAWOZ, 380kV) will affect us in the coming years. “They want to go over us, under us, without us as a province structurally benefiting. It cannot be that the region keeps paying the price repeatedly. We want a fair distribution of burdens and benefits. Therefore, we want to conclude a broad Energy Deal with the Government, in which we make agreements about branching off, tapping, and ticking,” said Knol.
