Kamerbrief voortgang Delta Rhine Corridor

In the letter to parliament, the minister elaborates on decisions recently taken in light of draft Social Cost-Benefit Analyses (SCBAs) regarding safety, land-use issues along the DRC route, cooperation with Germany and follow-up and scheduling. We list the key decisions here for you.

• Based on the draft SCBAs and support for projects by project partners, it has been decided that the pipelines for hydrogen, CO₂, ammonia and cables for 6 GW direct current will be included in the joint land-use planning procedure that has now begun. Gasunie is acting as initiator of that procedure (under the Government Coordination Scheme).
• For the ammonia pipeline, safety and policy frameworks need to be developed quickly. The ammonia pipeline will remain part of the joint land-use planning procedure to ensure that there is room to eventually build it. At most, this will have very limited influence on planning for the other pipelines and cables.
• Natural gas, LPG and propylene are outside the scope of the DRC. Gasunie has indicated that there is no need for a new natural gas pipeline. No initiator was found for LPG and propylene, even after an active search. Moreover, no additional capacity for LPG and propylene is expected at the Port of Rotterdam, which could require more pipelines.

• Connections in the DRC will be built only if safety risks are adequately mitigated and controlled. The initiators have carried out a design and risk analysis for CO₂ and hydrogen. It has been estimated that the risks of these two pipelines remain within the legal requirements, although mitigating measures may need to be taken.
• The Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy will continue to jointly investigate the safety of transporting ammonia by pipeline.
• Land-use planning issue along the DRC route
• A key issue on the DRC route is the crossing of the Hollands Diep. The existing tunnel for pipes and cables is almost full. It was decided to commission Rijkswaterstaat to work with LSNed to look at the possibilities of resolving the issue of this crossing in a future-proof way. That might involve building a tunnel, drilling, or a combination thereof. After the results of this study are known, the desirability, effectiveness and possible modes of (private) financing will be investigated.

• A key issue on the DRC route is the crossing of the Hollands Diep. The existing tunnel for pipes and cables is almost full. It was decided to commission Rijkswaterstaat to work with LSNed to look at the possibilities of resolving the issue of this crossing in a future-proof way. That might involve building a tunnel, drilling, or a combination thereof. After the results of this study are known, the desirability, effectiveness and possible modes of (private) financing will be investigated.

• His Majesty the King will visit the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia on Tuesday, 14 November. State Secretary Vijlbrief will also take part in the visit. It will be centred on several hydrogen projects, including the DRC. During that visit, the Netherlands and the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia are expected to sign a declaration of support from both governments for realising the DRC.

• The minister stated that avoiding delays is necessary to sufficiently ensure the ongoing investment processes for the pipelines, such as the hydrogen network. For Hynetwork Services, this means adhering to the schedule on which the draft proposal to change the roll-out plan is based.
• The ambition is to commission the DRC by the end of 2028. The schedule depends heavily on licensing (including for nitrogen), resolving spatial bottlenecks, and the speed of the German connection.