Netherlands 2026 Network Charges: What the national average hides
By Kemal Obad
The The Dutch energy regulator ACM has confirmed that regional grid network charges (netbeheerkosten) will increase by an average of 3.4% in 2026.
At first glance, that headline number may sound manageable. But it is not the number that matters most for yor business.
For companies connected at medium voltage (MV, middenspanning) or high voltage (HV, hoogspanning), the actual impact depends on three factors: which grid operator manages your local network, which connection category your site falls into, and how your operations use the grid.
One MV category may barely change, while another in a different DSO area may move more noticeably. The 3.4% national average tells you very little about what your company will actually pay. What is changing for MV and HV connections in 2026
What is changing for MV and HV connections in 2026
Network charges for large electricity connections are not background noise on an energy invoice. They are a budget line shaped by contracted capacity, peak demand, and each grid operator’s cost allocation methodology.
For 2026, tariffs have been finalized and published by each regional DSO.
Liander has indicated that large electricity connections may see increases of roughly 3% to 6% in 2026, depending on connection size and usage. However, the picture is not the same across the country. Enexis has stated that average business electricity network costs are slightly lower in 2026, while gas network costs are still increasing.
That is exactly why the national average should not be used on its own. DSO-level outcomes are not uniform.
One specific group is different: companies connected directly to TenneT’s national transmission grid, rather than to a regional DSO, are expected to see transmission charges decrease by around 10% to 12% in 2026. For most MV and HV sites on regional networks, that relief does not apply.
Why are tariffs rising?
Infrastructure investment at scale
The Dutch electricity grid is being rebuilt to support electrification, while gas consumption continues to decline. More substations, cables, and transformers mean higher capital expenditure.
ACM’s own long-term analysis projects total grid costs rising from approximately €7 billion today to €18 billion - €25 billion by 2050. For large industrial users, tariffs could double or triple over that period.
Regulatory mechanics
ACM sets annual revenue caps and tariff caps. The 3.4% average increase for 2026 reflects higher allowed revenues, inflation indexation, and continued grid reinforcement costs.
Although this increase is smaller than the jumps seen in recent years, the structural pressures remain. Contractor and material inflation, higher financing costs, and accelerated network reinforcement all point to continued upward pressure in the years ahead.
ACM is also developing a new tariff methodology that will take effect after 2026. This could reshape how costs are allocated across user categories.
Key insight: The macro drivers of tariff changes are largely fixed. Your company cannot influence grid investment plans or ACM’s revenue allowances. What your company can influence is how it interacts with the network. Connection settings, power factors, and load peaks all affect how the 2026 tariff changes show up on your invoice.
Three levers to reduce your distribution costs
Even when tariffs move upward, good network cost management can reduce your overall exposure. Many companies overpay because of legacy contract settings, avoidable usage patterns, or limited visibility into how network charges are built.
These are the three highest-impact levers.
- Right-size your contracted capacity
Your contracted capacity (aansluitwaarde / gecontracteerd transportvermogen) is one of the largest drivers of your network charges.
Many companies pay for more reserved capacity than their operations regularly need. This often happens after changes in production processes, site upgrades, or temporary peaks that never became the new normal.
The goal is straightforward: ensure your contracted level reflects the current operational reality, with a sensible buffer for planned growth.
A 20% reduction in contracted capacity on an MV site can generate five-figure annual savings, even if per-unit tariffs increase.
- Control your peak demand exposure
Network charges can respond strongly to short, high-demand spikes. Your maximum measured demand (maximaal gemeten vermogen) can influence what you pay over longer periods, especially if the pattern is not reviewed regularly.
Even brief peaks from equipment start-ups, batch processes, or simultaneous load events can raise your cost base.
The solution does not always require complex technology. It starts with visibility into what drives your highest demand moments, followed by operational discipline to manage them.
- Maintain a healthy power factor
A poor power factor (cos φ) indicates that your site is using grid capacity inefficiently.
Reactive power charges do not appear on every invoice every month, but when they do, they can be material. Power factor should be treated as part of basic electrical maintenance and performance management, especially for MV sites operating heavy inductive equipment such as motors, compressors, or transformers.
What the numbers look like: a simulation
To make this practical, our simulation below uses a notional MV site with 1,000 kW contracted transport capacity (gecontracteerd transportvermogen) and 5 GWh annual electricity consumption. To make this practical, the simulation below uses a notional MV site with 1,000 kW of contracted transport capacity (gecontracteerd transportvermogen) and 5 GWh of annual electricity consumption.
The numbers show that the same site can produce different 2026 outcomes across grid areas. They also show that optimization can reduce network costs even when tariff movements are modest or mixed.1
1 - This example shows the size of the opportunity, not a one-size-fits-all recommendation. Before changing contracted transport capacity, your company should review its actual peak profile and DSO terms carefully.
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The tariff movement matters, but the larger opportunity is often in how much of an MV bill is driven by contracted capacity and peak demand. If those two elements are out of line with the site’s actual profile, the avoidable cost can be larger than the year-on-year tariff change itself.
Turn the 2026 tariff increase into a cost reduction
The 2026 network tariff increase is real, but it does not need to flow directly through to your bottom line.
The same pressure that raises unit rates also increases the value of basic network cost management: capacity alignment, power factor discipline, and peak demand control.
The grid is becoming more expensive. Your company’s network usage should become more efficient.
If you act now, the 2026 tariff changes can become the trigger for capturing savings that may already be sitting on your network invoices. ACM’s signal is 3.4% on average, but your site-specific outcome could be higher, lower, or offset entirely through better cost management.
Do not wait to see the impact on the bill.
Grid costs are changing in 2026. Your invoice does not have to move in the same direction.
Trio can benchmark your tariff category against published DSO rates, rebuild your network bill from the tariff sheet, and deliver a concrete savings plan.
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