The Netherlands could change from an electricity importer to a country that exports power in four years time, according to a report published by the country’s national grid operator Tennet.

The report says 13 gigawatts of new production capacity is due to come on line by 2014. Over half of the new power plants will be operational before 2011 resulting in a production overcapacity of 3.7 gigawatts in four years.
At present the Netherlands has 20 gigawatts of generation capacity.
In its report to the government, Tennet says that even if only 25% of the proposed new power plants are built, the Netherlands will have enough electricity for the coming few years.
The Netherlands will be able to export its overcapacity to Germany and Belgium and to Norway and Britain once the new sub-sea cable connections to these two countries are completed.