Energy-intensive businesses currently without a connection to the national grid because of capacity problems may be connected after all if they are willing to use no or very little electricity for 15% of the time, grid operator Tennet has said.

An analysis by Tennet has shown that just over 9 gigawatts of power is left untapped outside peak hours. That is 40% of the total national electricity use during peak hours.

“That is a huge amount,” Tennet chief operational officer Maarten Abbenhuis told the AD. “We suddenly have 40% extra capacity, which we want to make available to parties on the waiting list,” he said.

Tennet has developed a special contract to include the 15% drop in availability which will be announced at least a day ahead.

Public institutions, such as schools, hospitals, police, and water boards will have priority and businesses will have to compete on a first-come, first-served basis. Flexible users include battery parks, data centres, hydrogen producers and e-boiler developers.

The grid operator offers a discount of up to 65% to businesses and organisations that are willing and able to be flexible. “Those who help the system are entitled to a hefty bonus,” Abbenhuis said.

Tennet said a better use of the existing network will help make the energy transition more affordable through efficient investment. Tennet has invested €10 billion in extending and modernising the grid and will be spending another €160 billion up to 2035.

Tennet is also currently investigating whether regional grid operators Alliander, Enexis and Stedin also have off-peak megawatts to divide up. The results are expected before the summer.