More companies adopt flexible power grid usage as waitlist growth slows
The number of businesses waiting for an electricity connection in the Netherlands remains high at over 15,000, although the growth rate is slowing due to infrastructure upgrades and flexible energy usage. While grid operators are expanding capacity, they face challenges with large-scale projects and land acquisition, and experts warn that waitlists will likely grow again as small-scale users are added.
As of late June, the Netherlands faces a waiting list of 15,498 businesses seeking electricity grid connections, a figure that has risen only slightly since the end of 2025. While grid operators are successfully installing new low-voltage infrastructure like cables and substations in residential areas, large-scale projects such as high-voltage stations continue to face delays. Industry association Netbeheer Nederland notes that infrastructure expansion is struggling due to difficulties in acquiring necessary land, though new legislation is currently being drafted to accelerate permit and appeal procedures.
To manage the congested grid, there is an increasing shift toward flexible energy usage. Nearly 400 businesses and 400 energy producers have entered into special contracts that offer discounted rates in exchange for reducing consumption or output during peak times. Despite these innovations, grid operators anticipate the waiting lists will grow significantly in the coming months as small-scale users are added to the queues. While housing projects maintain priority, authorities confirm that sufficient capacity exists to meet the national target of 100,000 new homes annually.
Based on reporting by nu. Translated and condensed by LocalHeadlines.
