New electricity connection rules from July 2026: What homeowners and businesses need to know
From 1 July 2026, obtaining or upgrading an electricity connection in parts of the Netherlands will become harder due to grid congestion. Homeowners and small businesses may face delays or waiting lists, impacting renovation, sustainability projects, and new constructions.
Key Fact
Details
Effective Date
1 July 2026
Affected Regions
Utrecht, Gelderland, Flevoland
Impacted Groups
Homeowners, small businesses, housing developers
Priority Access
Housing construction projects may receive priority
Waiting Lists
Both small and large consumers may be placed on the same waiting list
Advice & Support
Local Energy Team Veenendaal (businesses), Energy Desk (residents)
Grid operators like Stedin are responsible for managing and maintaining the electricity infrastructure in the Netherlands. They implement policies to address grid congestion, ensuring fair access to electricity connections while balancing supply and demand.
The summary and analysis above were generated by European AI
Sustainability or (re)construction? Check your electricity connection!
Do you plan to build, renovate, or make your home more sustainable? Starting 1 July 2026, it will be more difficult for homes and smaller businesses to obtain an electricity connection. Requesting a higher-capacity connection will also become more challenging due to issues with the power grid.
In many parts of the Netherlands, the power grid is becoming increasingly congested. This is known as netcongestie. Particularly in the provinces of Utrecht, Gelderland, and Flevoland, there are significant issues with the power grid. As a result, obtaining new electricity connections or increasing the capacity of existing ones will become more difficult.
Previously, only businesses with large connections were placed on a waiting list by the grid operator. That is set to change.
New rules from 1 July 2026
From 1 July 2026, new rules will apply:
Small consumers (such as homes, small businesses, and charging points) will no longer automatically receive a connection.
Both small and large consumers will be placed on the same waiting list if there is no available capacity on the power grid.
Only projects with a societal benefit may sometimes receive priority.
Housing construction may sometimes receive priority
For housing construction projects, an application can be made for priority. If there is sufficient capacity on the power grid, these projects will be connected sooner. Businesses will generally not receive this priority.
Increasing your connection capacity will also become more difficult
Do you plan to switch to electric cooking, install a charging point, use solar panels, or have a heat pump or battery installed? Sometimes, increasing your connection capacity seems necessary, but this is not always the case. Always check in advance what is required in your specific situation. On the Stedin website, you can see what is possible with your current connection and whether a higher-capacity connection is needed.
After 1 July 2026, increasing your connection capacity will become more difficult in our region. Therefore, check in good time what is required in your situation.
To the Stedin website
Apply for your connection in good time
Do you already have permission from the municipality for your (re)construction plan? Then immediately apply for the desired electricity connection with the grid operator. This will help prevent delays in your project.
Advice
The Local Energy Team Veenendaal (LEV) can assist businesses with issues related to grid congestion. The Energy Desk can provide independent advice to residents on sustainability and smart solutions. For more information, visit www.duurzaamveenendaal.nl/advies.
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