Amsterdam’s electricity network is reaching its limits, a study of the energy infrastructure in the North Holland province by network controller Alliander and the municipality of Amsterdam found. According to grid manager Alliander (2019), the data centers around Amsterdam already consume 15% of the total power capacity of the municipality of Amsterdam. As a result, data centers put pressure on the capacity of the energy network in the city, and energy providers are struggling to connect households and businesses.
The Amsterdam region has suffered several power failures in recent years, with significant consequences. On April 29, 2018, a major power outage hit the Haarlemmermeer, which also affected Schiphol, and thousands of passengers were no longer able to check-in, resulting in utter chaos. Before the construction of new data centers can proceed further, there needs to be a substantial investment to improve the electricity grid, according to Alliander.