Dutch Utilities Overview
Understand the Dutch utilities industry, which service providers to contact to get electrical, gas and water service connected, how the billing works and what to do in a utilities emergency.
ELECTRICITY / GAS IN NETHERLANDS
Power supplied in Netherlands begins with a ‘transmission system operator‘ (or TSO); TenneT for electricity and Gasunie for gas. Both entities are owned by the Dutch state.
There are 6 ‘distribution system operators‘ (or DSO) which disperse electricity and gas throughout Netherlands: Cogas Infra & Beheer, Enexis, Liander, Rendo, Stedin and Westland Infra. The 3 largest (Enexis, Liander and Stedin) supply over 90% of the country. All 6 DSOs are unlisted public companies owned by the provincial and municipal governments they serve.
Netherlands energy suppliers operate in an open market where consumers can choose between multiple providers. Dutch utilities companies typically offer integrated services – electricity, gas and heating and customers tend to bundle service with one supplier for cost savings. The three biggest Dutch energy suppliers are Eneco, Essent and Vattenfall.
In 2018, the Dutch government committed to have all homes and commercial buildings gas-free by 2050. By 2021 90% of the new homes built that year were not connected to the national gas grid.
Getting Dutch Utilities Connected
To set up a new account with an energy supplier in Netherlands, the following are required:
- Proof of identity (usually a valid passport)
- Proof of residency (for those without a Dutch passport)
- Proof of occupancy (rental contract or house deed)
- Proof of address (the BRP extract which is available from your local municipal office)
Billing
Note and check the meter readings when moving into a new home. Bills are based on either the previous year’s consumption for the property or on the estimated average usage for the number of people now living at the address.
Most Dutch utilities providers require monthly bills to be paid by direct debit.
As heating is a major cost in Netherlands, the estimated annual usage is divided over 12 equal monthly payments. This avoids having to pay high bills in winter and nothing during summer months. Differences between estimated and actual usage are adjusted at year-end through a refund or additional bill.
Average Energy Costs in Netherlands
Energy costs in Netherlands increased significantly when the war in Ukraine began. To offset some of the incremental financial burden placed on household spending, the government implemented price caps for gas, electricity and district heating. Amounts over the price caps were subsidized by the government.
Monthly home energy bills vary based on the size of the house or apartment, how it is heated, how well it is insulated and how many people are living in it. A rough guideline would be €300-350 per month for a family of 4 which would include electricity and hot water.
Dutch Utilities Contracts
Utilities contracts typically renew automatically from year-to-year. Customers must be notified of any changes to a renewed contract. If they do not agree with the changes, they have 14 days to end it and change supplier.
Get more information about EU consumer rights in regards to utilities contracts.
Price Comparison
There are several comparison websites in Netherlands which compare prices/services offered by different utilities companies. Almost all are only available in Dutch.
Utility Direct is a utilities comparison company available in English. Call them, let them know your needs and they will do the comparison research. They will even help get the service up and running.
Renewable Energy Sources in Netherlands
In 2023 nearly half of all electricity generated in Netherlands was from renewables sources including wind (24%), solar (17.6%) and biomass (5.8%). Most energy suppliers make consumers aware of how much of their electricity supplied is from green sources.
Pure Energie is the greenest Dutch energy supplier with 100% being generated from solar and wind sources. They have been building wind turbines in the Netherlands for over 30 years.
Netherlands Utility Emergencies
For gas leaks or electricity emergencies in Netherlands, contact your provider or call: 0800 9009
WATER SERVICE IN NETHERLANDS
The water supply in the Netherlands is managed by 21 regional water boards under the umbrella organization ‘Unie van Waterschappen‘ (Association of Water Boards), based in The Hague. Each is responsible for maintaining the quality and quantity of drinking water, the treatment of waste water and flood control measures for its specific geographic area.
Expats coming from countries like the United States, Canada and Australia should be aware that the drinking water in the Netherlands, as is the case in most of Europe, is not fluoridated.
For billing purposes, a home’s water usage is estimated for the year based on the previous year’s consumption. The estimated annual cost is billed either monthly or quarterly depending on the regional water board.
If a rental unit within a registered property is not equipped with its own water meter, the total cost for the property will be billed to the property owner. They, in turn, will bill the tenant for their estimated portion.
Every property connected to a municipal sewage line (which is nearly all properties in the Netherlands) is assessed an annual sewage tax by the municipality. Property owners usually receive their municipal tax bill in February.
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