Frequently asked questions about scarcity in transmission capacity

The problems surrounding scarcity in transmission capacity on the Dutch grid have attracted much attention lately. Energy initiatives often only gain access to the grid after considerable delays or even fail to gain access at all, since the necessary expansion of the grid usually takes longer than the construction of wind farms or solar parks. That puts pressure on the completion of such projects, and, by extension, on the efforts to make energy more sustainable.

Among members of the public and also among initiators of sustainable projects (‘connected’), considerable uncertainty exists about the obligations of system operators and the rights of connected. The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) wishes to resolve this uncertainty by giving answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs).

The key points from the FAQs are:

Connected always have the right to a connection;
Both existing and new connected equally have a right to transmission;
System operators must take sweeping measures to make transmission possible;
Connected have the right to compensation if they help system operators solve congestion problems;
Connected can bring a case before ACM if they feel that they are not treated lawfully by the system operator.

More details can be found in the FAQs below.

FAQs on scarcity in transmission capacity (in Dutch)