Congestion on Dutch distribution grids: On the legal (im)possibilities of flexibility in the distribution network

This report aims to provide clarity on the legal framework surrounding the regulation of flexibility in the Dutch electricity grid that solves or reduces the congestion issues in the Netherlands. Congestion in the Dutch electricity grids1 has rapidly increased over the past two years. Local grid operators are being overwhelmed from two sides. The ever-growing volumes of renewable electricity—stemming from decentralized generation and the transmission grid—are beginning to exceed the capacity of the transmission and distribution grid. Without swift solutions, the energy transition in the Netherlands risks running into severe bottlenecks in the grid.