Geldrop-Mierlo Will Nominate Housing Projects for Priority Access to the Power Grid

Due to the growing demand for electricity, capacity on the power grid is limited. This can have implications for housing development projects, as a new or upgraded connection to the power grid is not always immediately possible. A new national regulation now allows municipalities to register housing development projects with the grid operator earlier, thereby ensuring that priority is taken into account when allocating available transmission capacity.

The Municipal Executive of Geldrop-Mierlo has established policy guidelines for this purpose. Based on these guidelines, the municipality will draw up a priority list of (housing) projects. This list will be submitted to the grid operator no later than October 1, 2026.

Deadline: September 1

The municipality is therefore calling on developers to register their housing projects as soon as possible, and no later than September 1. The order on the municipal list will then determine the order in which projects may be eligible for available transmission capacity. “We want to continue building in Geldrop-Mierlo and do not want the limited capacity of the power grid to unnecessarily hinder our housing plans. This arrangement allows us to bring housing projects to the grid operator’s attention sooner. That is why it is important that we are notified of projects by September 1 at the latest. Those who register too late cannot be included,” emphasizes Fiona Bijl, the responsible Alderman . A high position on the priority list does not, however, guarantee a connection. Whether and when transmission capacity becomes available remains dependent on the capacity that becomes available on the electricity grid.

From New Construction to Renovation

This prioritization applies to (housing) projects expected to be carried out within ten years. Examples include new construction, demolition followed by new construction, the conversion of existing buildings into housing, and the addition of housing units to an existing building. Projects can be submitted using the digital form on the webpage “Apply Early for Transportation Capacity for Housing Projects.”

Working Together to Build a Stronger Power Grid

The municipality is also collaborating with the Eindhoven Metropolitan Region (MRE), the Province of North Brabant, grid operators, and the national government to find solutions to grid congestion. This includes exploring ways to make smarter use of existing capacity, energy hubs, energy storage, and flexible energy consumption. Agreements have also been made with grid operator Enexis to accelerate the expansion of the electricity grid. With the new prioritization scheme, Geldrop-Mierlo aims to give housing development projects a better starting position when transmission capacity becomes available.

Questions?

Send an email to netcongestie@geldrop-mierlo.nl.