There is no available capacity on the electricity grid for hundreds of thousands of power connection requests for newly built homes, reported Netbeheer Nederland, the association of Dutch grid operators. Applications for power connections have been submitted for approximately 600,000 homes over the next three years. There is no room for nearly half of them.

The Dutch electricity grid has been congested for some time. However, a spokesperson for Netbeheer Nederland noted that the number of applications submitted in the first half of this year has also been higher than ever before. “We are seeing a massive surge in applications.”

The number of applications for small-scale connections has more than doubled compared to last year. This is due to new regulations that took effect on July 1, prompting property developers to submit a flood of power connection requests for homes yet to be built in order to avoid ending up on a waiting list.

Netbeheer Nederland expects that more than half of the housing project applications can be connected to the grid. According to the grid operators, this figure aligns with the government’s goal to build 100,000 homes annually.

“If a project cannot be connected immediately, it does not mean it is permanently impossible. The situation on the electricity grid is constantly changing. Grid expansions, smarter grid usage, and changes to project schedules could create additional capacity at a later stage,” said a spokesperson for the association representing all Dutch electricity and gas grid operators.

The possibilities vary significantly by region and sometimes even by substation or project. Some areas can accommodate many housing projects, while others have no capacity available.