Data centers account for a third of Dutch electricity grid waiting list

Dutch grid operators warn that data centers account for nearly one-third of the electricity capacity currently on the national waiting list for new grid connections, representing roughly a third of about 15 gigawatts of requested capacity. Regional operators logged 15,498 businesses seeking large connections in the first half of 2026, together requesting about 9,986 MW (up from 9,305 MW at the end of 2025), and expanding the network is estimated to cost more than €200 billion. Operators say the backlog complicates multi-year investment planning for cables and substations and are urging the government to make clear choices about which projects should proceed so limited grid capacity can be allocated efficiently.

Nearly 200 large and around 300 smaller data centers now operate in the country, with roughly 200 more expected, and some facilities consume as much electricity as 1% of Dutch households. Grid operator representatives argue that the scale of demand requires spatial and sectoral limits - “not everything can be everywhere” - and call for rules on where data centers may be built and under what conditions. In response to parliamentary pressure for a national strategy, the State Secretary for Climate and Green Growth has announced measures intended to free up network capacity more quickly.