ACM’s Monitor on the consumer energy market: variable consumer prices for natural gas went up seven percent this month

Since July 1, prices for variable contracts for natural gas have gone up approximately seven percent compared with last month, and are thus twelve percent higher than right before the war in Iran. These are some of the conclusions of the Monitor on the consumer energy market of the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM). Since suppliers usually adjust the prices for variable contracts four times a year, these prices have remained relatively stable for a long time after the war had broken out. Last month, ACM already pointed out the expected price increases for variable contracts.

With an increase of approximately three percent compared with last month as well as with pre-war levels, variable prices for electricity have risen less substantially. This contrast with natural gas shows the impact of the energy transition. Due to the growing share of solar and wind energy, less natural gas is needed to generate electricity, resulting in rising natural-gas prices having less of an impact on electricity prices.

Thanks to investments in wind parks and solar energy, the Netherlands has in recent years become more and more a net exporter of renewable electricity. In the first six months of 2026, the Netherlands exported 7.7 TWh of electricity, primarily to Belgium, Germany, and the UK. Approximately half of all electricity that is generated in the Netherlands comes from wind turbines and solar parks, as well as from solar panels on the roofs of homes and businesses.

This month, the prices for fixed contracts on offer have fallen one to six percent compared with last month. This is consistent with the temporarily lower yet highly volatile wholesale prices of the past month.

Many consumers have taken out a fixed contract since the war in Iran

Right after the war had broken out in Iran, a relatively large number of consumers opted for fixed contracts. Whereas the net increase in the number of fixed contracts was approximately 25,000 households per month over the past year, the net increase in March was 110,000 and in April 40,000. In May, however, this trend changed to a net decrease of 17,000. At the same time, the number of consumers with dynamic contracts continued to go up: a net increase of 17,000 in March, 23,000 in April, and 30,000 in May. In recent months, many consumers opted for fixed contracts with the same supplier. The number of consumers that switched to different suppliers has, in fact, remained notably low for months. The increase of fixed contracts is therefore mainly driven by consumers that previously had variable contracts with the same supplier.

A wide range of different types of contracts remains available. ACM advises consumers to carefully consider what type of contract best suits their personal situation. With fixed contracts, prices are fixed for an agreed-upon time period. This offers price certainty, but consumers do not benefit from any price drops on the market during that time period. Consumers that wish to terminate their fixed contracts before the end of the contract period often have to pay an early-termination fee. With variable contracts, prices usually change four times a year, and can go up or down. With dynamic contracts, prices usually follow the prices on the wholesale market, and vary every fifteen minutes or every day. Consumers are therefore able to benefit from low prices, for example, when there is a lot of electricity available from solar panels or wind turbines, but they also bear the risk of sudden price increases.

Volatile natural-gas prices

Natural-gas prices on the wholesale market remained highly volatile over the last month. The prices first dropped from approximately 51 euros per MWh to 41 euros per MWH, before subsequently increasing again to about 54 euros per MWh. As a result, the prices are now higher than they were a month ago.

The filling of natural-gas storages

The filling rate of Dutch natural-gas storages currently stands at approximately 31 percent. This is significantly lower than on the same date last year, when the filling rate was 52 percent. Under European rules, the Netherlands is required to have the natural-gas storages filled for at least 74 percent at the start of the heating season.

This month, ACM took additional measures to ensure open access for companies to the natural-gas storage in Grijpskerk. ACM decided that Dutch public energy company Nederlandse Aardolie Maatschappij (NAM) cannot require companies that wish to use the natural-gas storage in Grijpskerk to financially contribute to the settlement of earthquake damages. Dutch public energy company Energie Beheer Nederland (EBN) and NAM have now reached an agreement on the use of the storage, and this natural-gas storage is being filled.

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
Ventum	Variable electricity
Energyhouse	Variable electricity and Variable natural gas
Kikker	Dynamic electricity
Van Helder	Fixed natural gas for one year

ACM’s Monitor on the consumer energy market also reveals that two suppliers charge significantly higher prices for their model contracts. This is the case with Tibber and EP Commodities for 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.

See also

• Monitor on the consumer energy market(external website) (external website) (in Dutch)
• Monitor on wholesale prices and the security of supply of natural gas(external website ) (external website) (in Dutch)
• Monitor on wholesale prices electricity(external website) (external website) (in Dutch)