System operators, trade associations, and ACM reach agreement on new regulatory method for setting the tariffs for natural gas
Summary
- System operators, representative organizations of network users, and ACM have reached an agreement regarding the regulatory method for setting the tariffs for the 2027-2031 period.
- Thanks to this agreement, system operators are able to focus completely on dealing with the congested grid as well as on accelerating the energy transition.
- In early 2026, ACM will issue a definitive method decision based on the final arrangements.
System operators, representative organizations of network users, and the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) have signed a market-wide agreement regarding the new method for determining the system operators’ revenues for the 2027-2031 period. With these arrangements, the parties involved have chosen stability and clarity, each having a common goal in mind: accelerating the energy transition.
Manon Leijten, Member of the Board of ACM, adds: “With this agreement reached between system operators, trade associations, as well as ACM, protracted legal proceedings are avoided so that system operators are able to focus completely on dealing with the congested grid and on accelerating the energy transition. This marks the first time that, in the interest of affordability and the energy transition, all parties involved have reached an agreement regarding the new regulatory method in this manner.”
The new regulatory method and the thereto-related arrangements better enable system operators to achieve the energy transition. In addition, the new method is better equipped for dealing with current developments and challenges. That is why the 15 organizations involved have indicated that, once the new method has been set, they wish to resume as soon as possible preparing the grids and natural-gas networks for the energy transition. This means that the parties involved will not file an appeal against the method decision.
ACM published the draft decision for the new regulatory method in September 2025, and, following the opinions it received, held discussions with 14 parties in order to reach an agreement on the new method. These 14 parties are the Dutch trade association of system operators Netbeheer Nederland, system operators Coteq, Liander, Enexis, GTS, Stedin, TenneT, RENDO, and Westland Infra, as well as trade associations Energie-Nederland, VEMW, Element NL, Vereniging Gasopslag Nederland, and Energy Traders Europe. All parties have agreed to make the following changes to the regulatory method:
- Representative organizations of system users will be involved sooner and more deeply when the system operators’ investment plans are drawn up. ACM will assess these investment plans on a more substantive level.
- In order to avoid a peak in GTS’s transmission tariffs in 2027 and 2028, subsequent calculations from the current regulatory method will be spread over multiple years. It is currently being assessed whether this is also possible for the transmission tariffs for electricity.
- As less and less natural gas is being consumed, GTS will more and more often decommission parts of the network, and then dismantle or sell these parts, for example for the development of the hydrogen network. The timing of as well as the choices made in connection with the decommissioning of the natural-gas network affect the network tariffs. That is why GTS explains these disinvestments in its investment plan.
- System operators will provide regular status updates regarding their investment agendas. This will offer network users more assurance that the increasing network costs are spent efficiently, and that the congestion is resolved as quickly as possible.
- TenneT’s construction loan interest rate will be gradually reduced, and the nominal WACC system (as included in the draft decision) will be kept.
- The new regulatory method will be evaluated on time, so that any evaluation results can be taken into account in the method for the next regulatory period.
In early 2026, ACM will issue a definitive method decision based on the final arrangements, so that the tariffs of system operators for the 2027-2031 period can be set on the basis of this new method.