Real estate agents now also report that grid congestion is delaying housing projects

High-voltage power lines in Zuid-Holland making up part of the energy grid. 15 July 2026 - Credit: - License: All Rights Reserved Business Saturday, 10 October 2026 - 14:45

Problems related to the overloaded grid network in the Netherlands continue popping up, FD reports. Now, real estate agents are reportedly noticing delays in a growing number of housing projects because of the grid congestion.

“Grid congestion was previously mentioned as a future scenario, but agents now see delays caused by grid congestion in about a quarter of projects,” said Lana Goutsmits-Gerssen, chair of the association’s housing section. She spoke Thursday during a presentation on third-quarter housing market developments.

The electricity grid is full in many parts of the country, forcing more companies and homes to wait for new connections. Grid operator Netbeheer Nederland said last month that there is no room for nearly half of the homes that have applied for electricity connections over the next three years.

Long permitting processes and capacity problems at municipalities had already strengthened construction times. These factors now cause delays in about half of projects, the association told FD. Grid congestion and weak sales add to those causes.

In the third quarter, association members sold fewer newly built homes than in the same quarter a year earlier. It was the fourth consecutive quarter of year-over-year declines. The association called the drop notable because supply has increased. Potential buyers are pulling back because of long construction times and uncertainty about the sale proceeds of their current homes, Goutsmits-Gerssen said.