Energie-Nederland is pleased that the extent of the social costs of grid congestion have been investigated, as this emphasizes the crucial importance of rapid solutions to grid congestion. Chair Cora van Nieuwenhuizen: “It was known that there were problems with grid congestion. It is good that the size of the problem has now been determined.”

According to Energie-Nederland, energy companies can play a major role in solving grid congestion: for example, by only producing when there is a demand for electricity, and by helping end users to tailor their energy use to the (local) availability of electricity. Van Nieuwenhuizen: “In order to make use of the creativity and innovative power of the market, grid operators must put the problem out to tender and not the solution.”

Energie-Nederland has been warning for a long time about the social costs of grid congestion.This report establishes that there are very significant social costs. These costs emphasize the need to realize new infrastructure as quickly as possible and to consider all possible measures that can limit the damage. Grid congestion ensures that the building of new homes is not completed, companies cannot become more sustainable, new green electricity production cannot be connected and innovative companies cannot expand or start up, which causes further social costs that are not immediately visible.