Overview
- The mayor and aldermen will ask the municipal council to back an eastward expansion over the village, releasing roughly 450 hectares locally within a regional Powerport plan of about 700 hectares.
- The municipality sets prerequisites that include individual, fair compensation, livability measures during the transition, and arrangements for heritage sites such as the cemetery.
- Grid operator TenneT is expected to build a 380 kV substation as part of three energy stations taking about 230 hectares, with the first visible project projected around 2033.
- Residents report shock, financial worries over recently renovated homes, and concerns for jobs and community life, while local entrepreneurs fear insufficient redress.
- A planning scholar questions the timing and the priority given to industry, noting the plan still faces council decisions, talks with national and provincial authorities, zoning changes, and possible legal challenges.