The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) has announced that Dutch households and businesses can expect to pay, on average, 20 percent more for the transport of electricity and natural gas in 2027. This translates to an increase of approximately 89 euros for electricity and 52 euros for natural gas per household.

ACM attributes this increase to necessary investments in the energy grid, which are projected to total around 235 billion euros over the next 15 years. These investments are essential to address grid congestion issues and to facilitate new connections for homes and businesses.

Manon Leijten, a board member of ACM, emphasized that the rising tariffs are largely influenced by policy decisions regarding the energy system, including the shift towards offshore wind farms. While these initiatives support the energy transition and reduce dependence on fossil fuels, they also require significant infrastructure investments.

Grid congestion is a pressing issue, costing Dutch society between 10 to 40 billion euros annually due to delays in business expansions and housing projects. To alleviate this, system operators must enhance their infrastructure, which will be funded through increased transport tariffs.

ACM has introduced a new methodology for setting transport tariffs, which aims to provide system operators with greater flexibility in managing costs and investments. This approach is expected to lead to more stable tariffs for consumers, as it allows for adjustments based on actual costs incurred by the operators.