Non-regulated activities

Sale of Joulz Diensten

Joulz Diensten was sold on 30 April 2019 to the British investment company 3i Infrastructure. Job security of the 150 Joulz employees is guaranteed. Joulz Diensten will focus in full on the commercial market, which offers opportunities for the organisation.

NetVerder

We will continue the operations that were not sold with Joulz under the name NetVerder B.V. As from 1 May 2019, this name covers the activities of the grid operator focused on developing, constructing and maintaining energy infrastructures for heat, steam as well as biogas.

Steam network in Rotterdam Botlek

The activities of Joulz Stoomnetwerken BV are now also included under NetVerder. Together with the companies in the Botlek area, the steam network has for almost seven years been doing what is expected of it: safely and reliably transmitting steam and condensate from the steam producer AVR Afvalverwerking to the customer Emerald Kalama Chemical. Both these companies are located in the Botlek area. This steam is sourced sustainably. New sources of steam were connected in 2019, further increasing supply security. The new sources are AVR's biomass energy plant and steam from Cabot Corporation. In 2019, some 223,000 tonnes of steam were distributed using the Rotterdam Botlek Steam Network. There are also plans for a significant expansion of the steam network. NetVerder is therefore engaged in extensive talks with the Port of Rotterdam Authority, local authorities and other parties in the Botlek area to execute this project jointly.

Increasing the sustainability of heat

In line with its strategy, Stedin Group seeks to accelerate the energy transition by actively exploring how to improve the sustainability of heat supply in the built environment within its service area.

In addition to electrification, collective sustainable heating (such as a heat network) is a possible solution to make the built environment gas-free. NetVerder is seeking to learn and act simultaneously in the field of collective heating so as to make a timely contribution to transforming the energy system. Phasing out natural gas in combination with further electrification requires challenging adaptations of the public energy infrastructure.

NetVerder therefore continued developing a portfolio of projects focused on collective heat systems in the past year driven by the public interest. NetVerder's role in these projects is to develop, build and manage the infrastructure required for this purpose.

Putting gas-free heat supply in place is a local and collective task. Collaboration between various parties, such as water authorities, municipalities, businesses, the other grid managers, housing associations, civil-society organisations and residents is essential in this context as well. NetVerder acts as the linchpin between all these parties, enabling the actual execution of plans for open heat networks. Openness and transparency concerning all aspects of the development are key requirements for any collaboration. NetVerder is actively involved in heating projects in Delft, Rotterdam, The Hague and several smaller municipalities.

DNWG Infra

High-voltage technology, renovation of Dodewaard station

The High-voltage technology division is carrying out the renovation of the 380kV Dodewaard station commissioned by TenneT. This station has a double-rail configuration to which three transformer fields and four line fields are connected. The work consists of replacing the severely outdated operating and security systems. The final renovated field was put into operation in November 2019.

DNWG Warmte - Ouverture

DNWG Warmte B.V. (DNWG Warmte) is part of DNWG and was established in order to facilitate heat projects. For example, heat and cold are supplied to the Ouverture district of Goes in this way.

DNWG Meetdiensten

Contracts for metering services at Scheldestromen Water Authority and Windpark Krammer B.V. were signed for the next 15 years. A separate website (www.DNWG-meet- diensten.nl) has been set up for metering services, simplifying access for customers as well as providing a good overview of the products and services offered by the metering business. DNWG Meetdiensten entered into a management contract with the municipality of Middelburg as well as Scheldestromen Water Authority for the supply of heat and cold to both offices through a shared heat and cold storage system.

Cooperation between DNWG Infra and Evides Waterbedrijf

Together with Evides, DNWG launched a new method for the installation of drinking water pipes in 2019. The method is called water-bearing installation and involves closing the

trench every day, as a result of which there is less inconvenience for the surrounding environment. This method is cheaper and constitutes a new standard for Evides Waterbedrijf.

Certification

DNWG Infra was recertified for ISO 27001 within the scope of the Certification Scheme for Cable Infrastructure and Pipe-Laying Companies (Certificatieregeling Kabelinfrastructuur and Buizenlegbedrijven, CKB) on the basis of an audit in 2018. DNWG Infra is also an approved heat metering company, in addition to being an ODA (independent service provider) and EMV (approved party responsible for metering) for gas and electricity metering systems.