Dutch trade body Energie-Nederland has voiced strong support for Climate Minister Stientje van Veldhoven’s plan to transfer responsibility for the national gas supply from the state to energy suppliers. As part of the overhaul, the Dutch government plans to lobby Brussels to abolish compulsory EU storage targets, which Ministers argue penalise countries with large storage capacity through inflated operational costs.
Should EU rules remain unchanged, Van Veldhoven proposes making commercial gas suppliers directly accountable for maintaining sufficient reserves.
Femke Brenninkmeijer, Chair of Energie-Nederland, praised the direction, stating: “The current policy on filling targets distorts the gas market. The new strategy establishes a more rational balance between security of supply and affordability—ensuring readiness for severe scenarios without saddling households and businesses with avoidable expenses.”
To mitigate short-term risks, the cabinet also intends to establish a dedicated 5 terawatt-hour (TWh) emergency gas reserve. Brenninkmeijer noted that this initial buffer should be enough to manage sudden demand spikes, with scope to scale up if geopolitical or market conditions deteriorate.
The policy shift comes as Dutch storage facilities sit at just under 58 per cent capacity—below historical averages for the season. A prolonged cold snap last winter drained reserves to record lows, while subsequent refilling efforts over the summer were hampered by price surges linked to Middle Eastern conflict. Nevertheless, Energie-Nederland maintains that an acute supply crisis is unlikely heading into the coming winter.
@anp | NEWS BRAINPORT
