National Grid Congestion Action Plan: a guide for businesses
Direct answer
The National Grid Congestion Action Plan, officially the Landelijk Actieprogramma Netcongestie (LAN), is a joint programme run by Dutch grid operators, the national government, the regulator ACM, regional authorities and market parties to tackle the strain on a congested electricity grid. It bundles measures to expand the grid faster and use existing capacity better.
- Clear definition
- Data-driven assessment
- Risks and opportunities visible
- Practical next steps
National Grid Congestion Action Plan: scattered information versus Energy Intelligence
More and more businesses want to electrify or feed renewable power back into the grid, but they run into a network that is full. A company wanting to connect a new site or feed in solar power may end up on a waiting list. To tackle these bottlenecks together, the government, the regulator and grid operators joined forces in one national programme.
- The programme was set up in December 2022 under coordinator Ben Voorhorst.
- It works along three main lines: build faster, use the grid better and gain smarter insight.
- Progress is reported periodically to the Dutch House of Representatives.
Insight
Traditional approach
Information is scattered across portals, documents, invoices or separate spreadsheets.
Modern approach
Data, context and interpretation are brought together into a clear decision picture.
Decision-making
Traditional approach
Choices are made based on averages, assumptions or occasional analyses.
Modern approach
Scenarios, KPIs and current measurement data make the trade-off more concrete and repeatable.
Follow-up
Traditional approach
Actions often stay non-committal or disappear into separate reports.
Modern approach
Follow-up actions, monitoring and reporting are linked to the same energy data.
How is the programme structured?
The Grid Congestion Action Plan brings together the parties that influence the electricity grid. Grid operators build and manage the network, the national government sets policy, the regulator ACM defines the rules, and market parties and regional authorities put solutions into practice. The programme started in December 2022 with its own coordinator. The measures are grouped into three main lines, so the parties work along a shared structure to create more room on the grid.
- Grid operators are responsible for building and managing the network.
- The regulator ACM sets the rules for grid access and tariffs.
- National and regional authorities handle policy and spatial planning.
- Market parties and businesses provide flexibility and adjust their usage.
What are the three action lines?
The programme works along three main lines. Build faster focuses on speeding up grid expansions, for example by streamlining procedures. Use better gets more out of the existing grid, through flexible use and smarter contract types. Smarter insight improves the information on where and when the grid is full, so users can base their choices on it. Together these lines should bring relief both in the short and the longer term.
- Build faster: speed up grid expansions and streamline procedures.
- Use better: free up more capacity on the grid that is already in place.
- Smarter insight: clarify where and when the grid is congested.
- The approach covers both the high-voltage and the low-voltage grid.
When does this affect you?
You notice the effects as soon as you apply for a new connection, need more transport capacity or want to feed renewable power back in. In areas with congestion, an application can end up on a waiting list. The Grid Congestion Action Plan works on solutions meant to shorten this waiting time over time, for example by rewarding flexible use and allocating capacity more smartly. Progress is set out in periodic reports to the Dutch House of Representatives.
- An application for new or extra transport capacity can end up on a waiting list.
- Feeding renewable power back in can also be affected by congestion.
- Flexible use and smarter allocation of capacity are part of the approach.
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