Joint plan to significantly accelerate the queue for the full power grid in the coming years

Minister Sophie Hermans: “Entrepreneurs waiting for a new or stronger connection cannot wait until the power grid is expanded. Therefore, the government and the business community are joining forces to offer them perspective in the short term. With these agreements, we ensure that as many companies and organizations on the waiting list as possible can be connected faster.”

Ingrid Thijssen, chairwoman of VNO-NCW: “Grid congestion is one of the biggest obstacles in our investment climate. Therefore, compliments to the minister and all involved parties for the cooperation and open attitude to find solutions. If we implement these measures well together, many companies can grow and become more sustainable again.”

The government, grid operators, regulator, and business community have committed to eight actions. Together, these have the potential to connect a significant part of the current queue within 2 years. The effects will differ per region. For example, the potential in the Flevopolder, Gelderland, and Utrecht regions is limited because a shortage of space must first be resolved before new space becomes available.

With the new agreements, it becomes easier and more attractive for companies and organizations to shift electricity consumption (partly) to moments outside peak times. This frees up space for parties currently in the queue. Additionally, the government and grid operators have agreed to critically examine the reserve capacity on the power grid. Examples of agreements to reduce the queue:

Grid operators receive more financial room to make agreements with companies and organizations that free up capacity on the grid. For example, companies can shift part of their production to another time. The goal is to conclude many more contracts in the next two years to free up capacity for parties in the queue.

Besides one-on-one agreements, at least four regional tenders will start this year where multiple companies can bid to create space on the power grid in selected regions. These can be energy producers or factories but also batteries or companies that can adjust their electricity use. The lower the costs, the greater the chance that a company will be deployed.

With the Top 50 approach, the business community, government, and grid operators focus in the coming six months on agreements with the 50 largest electricity users with great potential to relieve the power grid. Successful examples from the past show that these agreements can free up space for dozens of companies in the queue at once.

The government and grid operators will critically examine the use of the reserve capacity for very exceptional situations such as extremely cold days and expected future electricity consumption. Its use is combined with agreements with parties that can disconnect at extreme moments to prevent problems.

The approach to free up more space on the power grid is a collaboration between the government, grid operators, the business community (VNO-NCW/MKB-Nederland and the Dutch Association for Sustainable Energy), and the Authority for Consumers and Markets. They have jointly mapped out what is needed to use the power grid more flexibly, i.e., better utilize the space outside the busiest moments on the power grid. This allows companies and new homes to be connected faster. In April, the cabinet and grid operators already took measures to expand the power grid faster, but that takes time anyway.