A committee set up by the then Danish Minister for Transport and Energy, Flemming Hansen, in the summer of 2007 has prepared a technical report on the future expansion and undergrounding of the Danish electricity grid.
On 2 April 2008, the report was presented to the Danish Minister for Climate and Environment, Connie Hedegaard, and to the parties behind the energy agreement. It will form the basis of political discussions and decisions on electricity grid expansion.
The report outlines the environmental and landscape consequences of various expansion principles as well as the consequences for the security of supply, the functioning of the electricity market and socioeconomics.
The purpose of the report is to ensure that politicians and the general public are made aware of the consequences of various expansion strategies, enabling the politicians to make decisions on the future expansion on a qualified basis.
Main conclusions of the report
- Electricity grid expansion must take place by means of controlled, coherent and long-term development, maintaining the security of supply and supporting the functioning of the electricity market in the best possible manner.
- Expansion must take place with due consideration to the continued technological development, the environment, including landscape considerations, and the socioeconomic framework.
- The report presents six different principles for expanding and undergrounding the overall electricity grid. Two of these principles are considered to be inappropriate.