ACM is working on a new decision on opportunities for prioritization of projects that contribute to major social objectives in getting connected to the grid

In compliance with a court ruling, the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) will ensure that, also after January 1, 2026, system operators continue to have the ability to prioritize projects that contribute to major social objectives: projects such as schools, hospitals, and police stations can be given priority in getting connected to the grid. That is why ACM seeks to publish by late June a new draft decision on opportunities for prioritization of transport requests, to which all parties involved are able to respond.

There are many areas in the Netherlands where there is currently insufficient grid capacity to fully meet demand for transport capacity. As a result, waiting lists have emerged for access to the grid. Your place on this waiting list was traditionally determined by the timing of your application: on a first-come-first-serve basis. Last year, ACM handed down a decision with which system operators were able to prioritize projects that contribute to major social objectives: projects such as schools and hospitals.

In March 2025, the Dutch Trade and Industry Appeals Tribunal (CBb) ruled that ACM had to hand down a new decision on the prioritization framework on the basis of which system operators determine what projects are prioritized. According to the CBb, ACM has the independent power to set a prioritization framework. However, ACM does have to better assess and better justify which parties get priority. That is why the CBb reversed the code amendment decision on opportunities for prioritization of transport requests, and gave ACM until January 1, 2026 to make adjustments to the prioritization framework in the form of a new decision. The current framework is to remain in effect until then.

In order to ensure that system operators continue to have the ability to prioritize projects that contribute to major social objectives, ACM seeks to publish a new draft decision on the prioritization framework by late June. ACM is calling on all parties involved to respond to this draft decision within six weeks so that all responses can be incorporated into a new code decision. ACM plans to publish this new code decision no later than December so that system operators will be able to use this new framework starting on January 1, 2026.