The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) has released its Monitor on the consumer energy market, revealing that recent wholesale price increases for electricity and natural gas are leading to higher rates for consumers. Variable contract rates have risen by approximately 0.5 percent, while new fixed contracts have seen price hikes of 1 to 3 percent compared to the previous month.

Starting January 1, 2025, system tariffs, which cover the costs for the transmission of electricity and natural gas, will increase by 11 percent. This translates to an additional cost of around 60 euros per year for the average household. Conversely, taxes on energy consumption will see a slight reduction, with the electricity tax decreasing by about 1 eurocent per kWh and the natural gas tax by 1 eurocent per m3. Overall, households can expect to pay approximately 47 euros less in taxes annually due to these changes.

Additionally, ACM has updated its annual Monitor on system-operator quality, indicating that the reliability of electricity and natural gas supply remains exceptionally high, with availability over 99.999 percent. However, as more households and businesses transition to electricity, the demand on the grid is increasing, raising concerns about potential power disruptions. While such disruptions are still rare, the Monitor indicates a gradual rise in incidents related to grid congestion.