Our plans for 2022
Investments
Alliander's work package will continue to grow significantly in 2022. We anticipate that the gross investments, mainly for replacing and expanding the networks, as well as investments relating to the energy transition and to IT, will total more than €1 billion in 2022. Due to the fast-growing demand from solar farms, data centres, and other rapidly developing energy-intensive sectors, like commercial greenhouses for example, the power grid is operating at full capacity in more and more locations. The projected investments will be made in regions experiencing a higher demand for capacity due to economic growth and the energy transition.
Cash flow
The high level of investment cannot be fully financed by the operating cash flows. We therefore anticipate a negative free cash flow in 2022. This, in combination with the dividend that will be paid in 2022 on the profit in 2021, will result in a financing need on the part of Alliander, as was the case in 2021. This is expected to be entirely covered by the income from the issue of the convertible shareholder loan in December 2021.