WarmtelinQ begins construction of heat transport pipeline between Rijswijk and Leiden
WarmtelinQ is set to officially begin construction of the heat transport network for the section between Rijswijk and Leiden in March 2026. This section forms an integral part of the pipeline running from the Port of Rotterdam to Leiden. With the christening of the first construction crane, members of WarmtelinQ’s management team and the contractors involved, Hanab and A. Hak, are today firing the starting gun for the project.
Essential energy system Inge Aardse, Director of Heat Transport at Gasunie: ‘With the Rijswijk-Leiden section, WarmtelinQ will make an essential contribution to the heat transition and the energy system in the province of South Holland. The work we are doing is of great value for the future of the sustainable energy supply in this part of the Netherlands.’
Over the coming years, we will be laying a total of 25 kilometres of underground pipeline along this route. The works are expected to continue until 2028. The heat transport network will carry residual heat from the Port of Rotterdam through South Holland, eventually supplying heat to around 50,000 households and businesses in the region around Rijswijk and Leiden.
‘This is a special project for Hanab. It is a large-scale project in an environment that is constantly changing – from an urban area full of cables, pipelines and traffic to open fields with unpredictable ground conditions. That level of variety requires a high level of expertise and close collaboration between all parties and stakeholders.’
Work began at five locations in March 2026 WarmtelinQ commenced working at five locations along the Rijswijk-Leiden route in March 2026, with work at the other locations along the route to follow later. The five locations currently being worked on are: Rijswijk-Wilhelminapark, along the A4 at Zoeterwoude, Den Haag-Bosweide, Den Haag-Forepark and Leiden-Stevenshof.
The entire 54 km WarmtelinQ line The entire heat transport network runs from the Port of Rotterdam to Leiden. Large sections of the pipeline between Vondelingenplaat and The Hague are already in the ground. WarmtelinQ and its contractors are now constructing the section from Rijswijk via The Hague, along the A4 and through Voorschoten to Leiden.
The pipelines – a supply and a return – are being laid underground using various methods. With each of these techniques, we take archaeological finds into account.
- Drilling under the A12, A13, A4, A44 and railway lines to minimise disruption to traffic and the surrounding area
- Ploughing, particularly in the marshy areas along the A4
- Digging trenches in which the pipelines are laid, followed by site restoration
One of the most striking elements is a 1,562-metre borehole, the longest in the WarmtelinQ project.
Peter Veermeer, Director of Pipeline Construction and International at A. Hak: ‘WarmtelinQ is a unique and complex project, situated in the heart of a busy area with a variety of technical and logistical challenges. It is precisely this combination of factors – from underground conditions to limited working space and the external coordination requirements – that makes this a project in which craftsmanship, collaboration and flexibility come together.'
Hanab: ‘This is a special project for Hanab. It is a large-scale project in an environment that is constantly changing – from an urban area full of cables, pipelines and traffic to open fields with unpredictable ground conditions. That level of variety requires a high level of expertise and close collaboration between all parties and stakeholders.’