Netherlands grid congestion forces waiting list for new power connections

From 1 July 2024, parts of North Brabant where the electricity network is full will place all requests for new or heavier connections on a joint waiting list. Existing supplies continue uninterrupted, but projects needing larger capacity—such as new homes, business premises, heat pumps, or charging stations—may face delays of months to years. Priority will be given to socially essential users like health and education facilities while the network operator Enexis works on long‑term expansions.

Liander, another Dutch grid operator, announced 16 new congestion points affecting high‑consumption customers, notably at the Aalsmeer flower auction and Schiphol airport. The problems involve both consumption and back‑feed limits. Liander’s recent congestion studies confirm that contractual demand‑shifting cannot fully resolve the bottlenecks, meaning physical network upgrades are unavoidable, though they will take years. A few locations saw modest capacity releases after recalculations, but overall the situation underscores growing pressure on the Dutch electricity grid.