DRC West: A Step Further—Read the Submitted Comments and the Final NRD

The Delta Rhine Corridor West (DRC West) project involves the construction of underground pipelines for the transport of hydrogen and CO₂. The pipelines will run from Rotterdam to Boxtel and will also pass through Moerdijk. From Friday, September 5, through Thursday, October 16, 2025, the public was invited to comment on the Notice of Intent and Proposal for Public Participation, the Public Participation Plan, and the draft Scope and Level of Detail Memorandum (draft NRD). During this period, 103 comments were received.

Source: Gasunie

The comments were used to finalize the Scope and Level of Detail Memorandum (NRD). The NRD is the research plan that outlines what will be investigated and the scope of the investigation. All comments received were addressed in the Response Memorandum. You can read the final NRD and the Response Memorandum on the RVO website.

What are the next steps?

Now that this step has been completed, the studies described in the NRD will begin. The results of the studies are expected to be shared with you in the first quarter of 2027. At that time, the draft preferred route will also be established. You will then have the opportunity to submit a formal response. These responses will subsequently be taken into account when determining the final preferred route.

Why are new pipelines being installed?

The industry faces the challenge of reducing CO₂ emissions and thus becoming more sustainable. In many cases, the industry can become more sustainable by switching to electricity as much as possible. Where this is not technically or economically feasible, fossil fuels can be replaced by hydrogen, for example. For some industries, however, even that is not possible—or at least not quickly enough. To reduce CO₂ emissions in such cases, the CO₂ can be captured and stored in old, disused gas fields beneath the North Sea. This prevents CO₂ from entering the atmosphere. Gasunie is installing underground pipelines to transport CO₂ and hydrogen.

Want to know more?

• For more information about the procedure, visitthe DRC West website
• For more information about the project itself or to sign up for the newsletter, visitthe Gasunie website.
• Moerdijk Municipality Project Page