Price for heat decreases by EUR 20

The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) has set the maximum tariffs according to the Dutch Heat Act for 2015. The most important tariff is the maximum rate for supplying heat. For an average household, this tariff decreases by EUR 20 next year. Approximately half a million consumers and a share of the small and medium-sized businesses that get their heat from individual-building heating or district heating are affected by the Dutch Heat Act. Henk Don, Member of the Board of ACM, explains: “ACM sets the heat tariffs because consumers and businesses are unable to switch suppliers, and they cannot switch to natural gas either. They must be protected against unreasonably high prices.”

‘No More Than Otherwise'

Consumers that are connected to the heat network will not pay more than they would have paid if they had had a natural-gas connection. This is called the ‘No More Than Otherwise’ principle (in Dutch: Niet Meer Dan Anders). As the supply tariff for natural gas has dropped, so does the maximum tariff for heat.

Maximum tariffs

For 2015, ACM has set three tariffs (all tariffs include Dutch VAT):

1. The maximum price for supplying heat. This tariff is composed of a fixed amount of EUR 281.78 with a variable tariff of EUR 22.64 per gigajoule.
2. The tariff for metering. This tariff has been set at EUR 24.78 for 2015.
3. The connection tariff. For 2015, this tariff has been set at EUR 928.01 for all new connections up to 25 meters from an existing heat network. For connections longer than 25 meters, an additional tariff of EUR 32.51 per meter is added.