NMa welcomes agreement between TenneT and Eemsmond Energie on transport capacity in Eemshaven

The Netherlands Competition Authority (NMa) welcomes the offer of Dutch national grid operator TenneT to supply energy company Eemsmond Energie with transport capacity starting in 2013 for its power plant in Eemshaven, in the northeastern part of the Netherlands. This offer has come after a protracted legal pr0cess. Jaap de Keijzer, member of the Board of the NMa, reacts: 'European energy markets have become increasingly integrated, and since this Wednesday, the Dutch market has been coupled to all other countries around us. It is critical that TenneT connects new production facilities and gives access to the Dutch market and, by extension, to the Northwestern European market. After all, a well functioning Northwestern European energy market will eventually benefit Dutch consumers as well.'

The NMa had already ruled in April 2010 that TenneT should make transport capacity available to Eemsmond Energie starting 2013, and that it should use a congestion management system. TenneT at that point reacted that it would only have sufficient capacity starting in 2016 in order to be able to connect Eemsmond Energie. TenneT filed objections with the NMa against the April 2010 ruling. The NMa has now ruled on these objections, upholding its earlier ruling, and, in addition, has established that TenneT's refusal to make transport capacity available has ended as of August 18, 2010.