ACM’s Monitor on the consumer energy market: increase in the number of dynamic contracts continues
Summary
- The number of dynamic contracts increases, eight percent of households now have dynamic contracts.
- Natural-gas prices continue to fluctuate due to unrest around the Strait of Hormuz, the filling rates of storages are still significantly behind compared with last year.
- Some suppliers charge significantly higher prices for their model contracts than comparable suppliers.
The number of households that took out dynamic contracts was still increasing in July, while the number of people with fixed contracts went down again. In total, eight percent of households now have dynamic contracts, while 55 percent have fixed contracts. The share of households with variable contracts rose to 37 percent. These are some of the conclusions of the Monitor on the consumer energy market of the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM).
Natural-gas prices remain volatile
The ongoing unrest in the Middle East and the re-closure of the Strait of Hormuz continues to cause volatility in the natural-gas prices. After prices had dropped by approximately twenty percent as a result of the signing of the memorandum on the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, they subsequently rose significantly again: from 41 euros per MWh in late June to a peak of 64 euros per MWh one month later. When it seemed that further escalation would not occur, the natural-gas price dropped to 60 euros per MWh. That is still significantly higher than before the war in Iran, when the natural-gas price was 31 euros per MWh.
The filling rate of natural-gas storages remains low
The Dutch natural-gas storages are currently filled to 41 percent. That is significantly lower than 61 percent on the same date last year. However, the filling rate has gone up since last month, and the difference with last year went down. Last month, the natural-gas storages were filled to 30 percent compared with 52 percent in July 2025. According to European requirements, the storages must be filled to a minimum of 74 percent at the start of the heating season.
The main reason for the lagging filling rate is the protracted negative summer-winter spread: the natural-gas price is now higher than it was during the winter months. As a result, market participants do not have any strong financial incentives to store natural gas. In order to make filling natural-gas storages commercially interesting, the price difference between natural gas in the summer and winter periods (‘the spread’) must be positive and sufficient to cover the storage costs. At the moment, the markets still seem to anticipate a looser natural-gas market next winter compared with the current situation.
Fewer hours with negative prices in 2026
High natural-gas prices also have an effect on electricity prices. The average day-ahead electricity price in July was 106 euros per MWh. That is twenty percent higher than in July 2025.
As a result of high natural-gas prices, alternatives to gas-fired power plants have become more attractive for the supply of flexible capacity. As a result, Dutch coal-fired power plants accounted for more than ten percent of Dutch electricity demand in July. In 2026, so far, we have seen fewer hours with negative electricity prices. This suggests that supply and demand on the electricity market match each other better and better.
Increase in the number of dynamic contracts continues
The fact that more and more consumers take out dynamic contracts, which incentivize them to use electricity during cheap (and low-emission) periods, may also contribute positively to this. The number of consumers with dynamic contracts continues to rise: by a net total of 17,000 in March, 23,000 in April, 30,000 in May, and 33,000 in June. By now, eight percent of all households have a dynamic contract, which is an increase of 29 percent compared with last year and nearly a doubling compared with two years ago.
On the other hand, the number of consumers that took out fixed contracts or switched to another supplier was relatively low in recent months. This may suggest that, due to the relatively high prices of fixed contracts, consumers decide to wait and now take out variable or dynamic contracts.
ACM advises consumers to carefully consider what type of contract best suits their personal situation. Each contract type has a different balance between certainty and risk.
Consumer prices respond to the volatile wholesale market
The prices offered for fixed contracts respond quickly to developments on the wholesale market: fixed contracts for consumers went up by five to eleven percent in July compared with the previous month. prices for variable contracts are often adjusted each quarter: as of July 1, there was a clear increase in variable natural-gas prices, while as of August 1, only a slight increase is visible.
Significantly higher rates
ACM keeps a close watch on the prices of energy suppliers. As part of this oversight, ACM looks at, among other aspects, price differences between suppliers as well as the reasons for these differences. ACM’s Monitor on the consumer energy market reveals that the prices of certain contracts for households this month are significantly higher than comparable contracts from other suppliers.
| Supplier | Contract type |
|---|---|
| Energyhouse | Variable natural gas |
| Kikker | Dynamic electricity |
ACM’s Monitor on the consumer energy market also reveals that several suppliers charge significantly higher prices for their model contracts. This is the case with Zonneplan for natural gas, as well as for Vrij op Naam for natural gas and electricity. A model contract is a standard contract that every energy supplier is statutorily required to offer, including suppliers that wish to offer only dynamic contracts. The fact that prices of these model contracts are significantly higher says nothing about the prices of other contracts offered by these suppliers.