Powerport Residents' Night on June 4: Five Questions
"Give us clarity soon." That was the call made to the national government, the province of North Brabant, and the municipality of Moerdijk during the residents' meeting on Powerport on June 4.
In December 2025, the national government, the province, and the municipality agreed that they would decide in June 2026 on the location of Powerport. Powerport is the collective term for energy projects and initiatives to expand and make industry more sustainable, for which space is being sought adjacent to the existing Moerdijk port and industrial area.
During the residents’ meeting on June 4, it became clear that no decision would be made on June 29. A few weeks earlier, it was announced that the national government was considering a third option in addition to the two proposed routes east and southeast of the port and industrial area: a smaller Powerport, which might not require the village of Moerdijk to be relocated. More time is needed to thoroughly evaluate that option.
Mixed feelings
The news sparked mixed reactions among residents of the village of Moerdijk, the surrounding countryside, and nearby towns. The fact that there is another review of which projects should be located in the area and what the best site is adds to the uncertainty.
Critical Questions
Why is this news coming out now? And what guarantees are we getting? Below are five questions that were most on residents’ minds during the evening, along with the answers they received from State Secretary Jo-Annes de Bat of Climate and Green Growth, Provincial Executive Member Wilma Dirken of the Province of North Brabant, and Alderman Danny Dingemans of Moerdijk:
- Why didn’t anyone think sooner that Powerport could be smaller and still allow Moerdijk to remain a village?
If you add up all the projects listed in the ministries’ reports, you end up with 450 hectares. That would mean there would be no space left for Moerdijk to remain a livable village. The national government believes we must ask whether all those projects will actually be completed in 10 years. And if not: whether they’re truly necessary. Some projects involve the circular economy (reuse of raw materials): that might also be possible in other parts of the Netherlands. The national government believes this must be investigated before deciding that a village must be relocated.
The municipality of Moerdijk considers it good news if Powerport can be scaled down. But this must first be thoroughly investigated. And firm agreements must be made regarding which projects will and will not go ahead, at which locations, and that this is the final decision. - “There are no alternatives,” former Minister Sophie Hermans said in December. But it turns out there are alternatives after all. At the same time, there are no answers. Meanwhile, the consequences are visible in the village every day. And now many more areas are being drawn into this. That is unacceptable. How much longer will it take before we get answers? And how do we know that the process is being handled carefully?
The plan must be future-proof and must not turn into a “spatial mess” in the area. Furthermore, the process must be thorough: investigating everything that needs to be investigated. Unfortunately, that takes time.
The municipality of Moerdijk needs clarity on what the national government’s scenario actually entails. What will be built, and where? How will residents, farmers, and business owners be involved? How will the national government address the municipality’s preconditions? Afterward, the municipality wants to examine the effects of this scenario on quality of life, environmental impact, and the agricultural area. And how to ensure that it remains within these parameters.
It is not feasible to fully review the new scenario by June 29. By June 29, the national government, the province, and the municipality want to be able to specify what they still wish to investigate and discuss with local residents, so that they can then provide more clarity on what will happen in the coming months. This also applies to the preconditions. - If Powerport can be scaled down, how can we be sure it will stay that way? After all, the plans are laid out in black and white in the ministries’ memos. Won’t those projects just be postponed and resurface later?
In any case, it’s clear that energy projects need to be implemented. The other projects are less certain. If it is decided that Powerport must be scaled back, the State Secretary for Climate and Green Growth will formalize these agreements with the other ministries. - Now that Powerport may remain farther away from the village of Moerdijk, will the authorities engage in dialogue with residents of the outlying areas and other towns such as Zevenbergschen Hoek, Klundert, and Langeweg?
The national government wants to engage in a broad dialogue with everyone in the area. The decisions that need to be made must have the support of the national government, the province, and the municipality. - Meanwhile, the procedures for energy projects—such as a large new high-voltage substation between Zevenbergen and Moerdijk—are continuing as usual. How will the authorities ensure that all projects remain cohesive, so they don’t take bites out of the landscape like a sort of “Pac-Man”?
The authorities need to discuss this. Once a decision is made on where Powerport can be located, it must also be clear what will be built there and how the projects fit together. Until a decision on Powerport is reached, no irreversible decisions will be made regarding the energy projects.
Emergency Act on Network Congestion
The Jetten cabinet’s 2026–2030 coalition agreement announced a so-called “Grid Congestion Crisis Act”: a package of measures designed to help implement energy projects more easily and quickly. The question posed was whether the State Secretary could guarantee that this law would not be applied to projects coming to Moerdijk. State Secretary De Bat responded by stating that the standard objection deadlines for residents will continue to apply.