ACM proposes new network tariffs from 2029
From 2029, households could pay more for electricity use during busy hours and less outside them.
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The Authority for Consumers and Markets has published a proposal for time- and consumption-based network tariffs for households and small businesses. The plan is intended to make better use of the full electricity grid, but final implementation is not scheduled until after a consultation and a decision in 2027.
The proposal applies to connections of up to and including 3 times 80 amps. These include household connections and those of many small businesses. Transport costs are currently charged largely through fixed or general tariffs; under the proposed system, a larger share would depend on how much electricity someone uses and when they use it.
The ACM wants the new tariffs to take effect on 1 January 2029. Around one third of the network tariff would remain fixed. Around two thirds would depend on volume and time. Someone who, for example, charges an electric car outside busy hours could therefore pay a lower transport tariff than someone who uses a lot of electricity during peak hours.
The proposal is not yet a definitive bill for consumers. The ACM has published a draft decision on which interested parties can comment. The regulator wants to take a final decision at the beginning of 2027. Only then will it be clear which time blocks and exact tariffs will actually apply.
The change comes on top of an expected rise in transport costs in 2027. According to the ACM, households and businesses with a regional connection are expected to pay an average of 20 per cent more for the transport of electricity and gas. For an average household, the regulator gives an indication of around €89 extra per year for electricity and €52 for gas transport.
The main reason for the higher costs is the expansion and reinforcement of the overcrowded electricity grid. Grid operators are investing in cables, transformer stations and high-voltage connections. The decline in gas use also plays a role: the costs of the gas grid are being spread among a smaller number of users.
Netbeheer Nederland says time-based tariffs could flatten peaks and free up capacity for new homes and charging points. The ACM still has to assess whether the proposed distribution is understandable, workable and fair. Households with heat pumps, electric cars or few opportunities to shift their consumption in particular will be watching the outcome closely.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- The ACM has published a draft decision on time- and consumption-based network tariffs.
- The intended introduction is in 2029, after a final decision in 2027.
- Transport tariffs are already expected to rise significantly in 2027.
- The final tariffs and time blocks have not yet been established.
Left
Arguments The costs of expanding the grid must be distributed fairly and should not fall mainly on households that can barely adjust their consumption. Protecting low incomes and public control over energy infrastructure are therefore more important than maximum price incentives.
Values Affordability, solidarity and access to the energy transition.
Consequences An overly variable tariff could affect households with a heat pump or electric car, while subsidies and social tariffs could ease the burden.
Centre
Arguments Tariffs should reflect the actual pressure on the grid, but only with clear rules, a transition period and protection for people who cannot consume flexibly. A consultation and independent review are needed before the change takes effect.
Values Workability, predictability and a balance between efficiency and protection.
Consequences Careful design could reduce peaks without major surprises on energy bills, but would require extensive communication and technical adjustments.
Right
Arguments Under this approach, those who place the greatest burden on the grid should also pay more. Targeted price incentives are better than general subsidies and can prevent all users from having to pay for investments required mainly by intensive consumers.
Values Personal responsibility, cost recovery and efficiency.
Consequences Higher peak tariffs could change behaviour quickly, but could also disadvantage businesses and households with little freedom of choice.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The figures and timetable have been directly rephrased from ACM publications and clearly presented as expectations or proposals. Claims by Netbeheer Nederland about future grid capacity have been presented as arguments by the grid operators.
- confirmed The ACM wants to introduce time- and consumption-based tariffs for small connections from 2029. — The ACM describes this in the draft decision of 8 October 2026. source
- confirmed The ACM wants to take a final decision at the beginning of 2027. — Mentioned in the ACM's timetable. source
- confirmed Transport costs are expected to rise by an average of around 20 per cent for regional connections in 2027. — The ACM states this in its publication on the tariff proposals for 2027. source
- confirmed The ACM cites around €89 extra for electricity and €52 for gas transport for an average household. — These indicative amounts appear in the ACM publication. source
- confirmed Around one third of the network tariff will remain fixed and around two thirds will become variable. — This ratio appears in the ACM's explanatory notes and infographic. source
- confirmed Netbeheer Nederland expects capacity for approximately 700,000 homes or 500,000 charging points. — This is an expectation of Netbeheer Nederland and has been attributed as such. source
Editor's note
The proposed tariff structure and the expected increase in 2027 have been checked with the ACM. The effects on individual households have not yet been finalised and depend on the ultimate decision and individual consumption.Sources
- Uitleg bij ontwerp codebesluit volume- en tijdsafhankelijke tarieven voor kleine aansluitingen — Autoriteit Consument en Markt
- ACM publiceert tariefvoorstellen netbeheerders 2027 — Autoriteit Consument en Markt
- Nieuwe nettarieven — Netbeheer Nederland
- Nettarieven 2027 stijgen maar slimme keuzes kunnen stijging remmen — Netbeheer Nederland
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