The Zilverackers Bredeschool, which is being built in Veldhoven, is a victim of the overcrowded electricity grid. Two primary schools and childcare centres will probably be without power for five to ten years. The building will soon have room for almost six hundred children. The municipality is busy looking for an emergency solution: one of the options is a diesel generator.
Problem
Connections to the electricity grid are now allocated in order of registration. So, first come, first served. The Supervisory Authority for Consumers and Markets is currently working on new rules that should give priority to social institutions such as schools.
Network manager Enexis confirms the problem. “We cannot connect new, large customers at the moment, because the reliability and safety of the electricity grid would be jeopardised,” says an Enexis spokesperson. There is still room on the electricity grid for connections with small-scale consumption, such as houses.
The network operator states that the connection for the new school was not submitted too late. “A construction connection was requested in time, but unfortunately there was no more space available at that time to connect the school to the electricity grid”.
Sustainable
The new school building was built sustainably according to the ‘zero on the meter’ principle. The building generates as much energy as it consumes. It has no gas connection, but it does have solar panels and heat pumps. The school does need a heavy power connection, but that is not available for the time being. The plan is for the children to go to the new school building at the beginning of April.
At the municipality, they are absolutely bummed. “I am disappointed and shocked,” says responsible councillor Mariëlle Giesbertz. “There is a beautiful school here that is almost ready. So many children are waiting to go to school close to home. And that would now be in danger”.
Temporary arrangement
The children are currently still having classes in temporary classrooms next to the new building. Parents who come to pick up their children are disappointed. “A diesel generator does not suit this neighbourhood. This is yet another disappointment. We still don’t have a bus or playgrounds here,” says a father.
“There has to be a solution,” says another. “Which one is not so important. As long as the school can open. It is difficult for all those children to go to school somewhere else”.
Source: Studio040
Translated by: Seetha
