2026
Netherlands
To support the expansion of the national extra high voltage grid in the upcoming years, the Dutch Ministry of Climate Policy and Green Growth actively invests in improving the quality of life in communities affected by high-voltage grid projects in the Netherlands.
Highlights
01
The amount of funding received by communities will depend on the project’s characteristics.
02
The local government, together with the residents, will be involved to decide where to invest the funding attributed to the municipality.
03
The aim of the scheme and condition for projects to receive funding for is to focus on responding to the community’s needs.
Main Information
The Dutch Ministry of Climate Policy and Green Growth is currently working on a community benefit scheme to invest in local communities where new extra high-voltage (sub)stations/significant expansion of existing (sub)stations and/or new transmission lines are built. The scheme was initially announced in April 2025. While the scheme is scheduled to be active in the third quarter of 2026, its functioning has already been outlined by a series of pre-determined principles: funds will be allocated to local governments based on a fixed amount depending on variables applicable to the project, for example the relative size of an expansion. Depending on the project’s specifics, amounts range from several hundred thousand of Euros up to several millions of Euros. This scheme solely applies to 220 / 380 kV grid projects.
While the funds are distributed to the local government, the scheme requires the participation of residents to decide how to allocate the funds. To this end, and before the allocation of funds, it is anticipated that the local government will be tasked to draft a participation plan, highlighting who they plan to involve, when and how. The local government, in consultation with the participants, will then draft an expenditure plan on how to spend the allocated funds.
The spending decisions will need to respect certain requirements, e.g. having a physical and/or spatial character, but most importantly, to be focused on responding to the local community’s needs, improving their overall livelihood. Examples of potential expenditures include the creation of bike lanes, playgrounds or parks. Another item of discussion is whether the funds can also be allocated to matters such as a public swimming pool or local library.
This scheme, through the participation of residents and by tailoring the funding to local needs, aims to provide meaningful benefits for affected communities while making sure critical grid projects are delivered in a timely way.
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