Request transportation capacity in advance
Are you planning to carry out a residential or educational facility construction project in Voorschoten over the next 10 years? If so, it’s important to take into account the limited capacity of the power grid. We refer to this as grid congestion. As a result, a connection to the power grid may not always be immediately available. This could affect the planning of your project.
Under the “Early Application” program, the municipality can submit an application to the grid operator at an early stage. This allows project initiators and developers to gain insight into the possibilities for connecting to the power grid sooner.
On this page, you can read about how the program works, what types of projects it is intended for, and what the Requirements are.
What are the rules?
In many parts of the Netherlands, there is currently insufficient capacity available on the power grid. This is called grid congestion. As a result, housing projects and educational facility projects may be delayed.
Under the “Early Application” program, the municipality can submit an application for transmission capacity to the grid operator on behalf of project proponents at an early stage. The municipality can also request social priority for a project. This allows a project to be included in the grid operator’s planning sooner. Voorschoten falls within the service area of grid operator Liander.
To which projects does this program apply?
The "Apply Early" program is intended only for:
- Housing development projects.
- Educational facility projects.
- Projects for communal living arrangements.
The project must meet the “ Requirements ” of the ACM prioritization framework. It must also be completed within 10 years.
What are the benefits of participating?
Projects designated as social priorities are moved up on the grid operator’s waiting list. As a result, such projects are more likely to be considered sooner for transmission capacity on the power grid.
Please note: Participation in this program does not guarantee an electricity connection or available transmission capacity. The grid operator ultimately determines when there is sufficient capacity available on the power grid.
Under this arrangement, your project can be included earlier in the grid operator’s capacity planning.
Important Dates
You can submit your project from Monday, August 31, through Tuesday, September 15, 2026. See the important dates below.
Activity | Date |
| Registration Period Opens | August 31, 2026 |
| Registration Period Ends | September 15, 2026 |
| Adoption of the Order of Precedence List | September 17, 2026 |
| Objection Period | 10 days after the ranking list is finalized |
| Submission to the grid operator | October 1–23 |
Time blocks based on the year of initial construction
The municipality processes applications in batches. In doing so, we consider the project’s start year. The grid operator then assesses how much capacity is available and how it will be allocated among the submitted projects.
Application Date | Projects with a start year |
| As of October 1, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. | Construction to begin through 2028 |
| As of October 6, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. | Construction to begin through 2029 |
| As of October 8, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. | Construction to Begin Through 2030 |
| As of October 12, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. | Construction to Begin Through 2031 |
| As of October 14, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. | Construction to begin through 2032 |
| As of October 16, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. | Construction to begin through 2033 |
| As of October 20, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. | Construction to Begin Through 2034 |
| As of October 22, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. | Construction to begin through 2035 |
What information do you need to provide?
To evaluate your application, the municipality needs a project dossier. Depending on the project, the municipality may ask for:
- A description of the project;
- A project schedule;
- Data on the number of housing units or school enrollment slots;
- A justification of the planning status;
- A prior agreement or other supporting documents;
- Information about the required connection.
The policy guidelines specify exactly what information is required. View the policy guidelines for applying for priority transport capacity on the website lokaleregelgeving.overheid.nl.
How does the municipality determine the order?
The municipality evaluates applications based on predetermined policy guidelines. These guidelines set out objective and transparent criteria used to rank projects.
Based on this assessment, the municipality draws up a priority list.
If projects have exactly the same score, the municipality may create an additional ranking or conduct a lottery. This is done in accordance with the policy guidelines.
Costs
Submitting a project to the municipality is free.
The grid operator may, however, charge certain fees, such as an advance payment or connection fees. These costs are the responsibility of the project initiator.
Questions or would you like more information?
Do you have any questions about this program, or would you like to know if your project is eligible? Please contact the municipality by email at duurzaam@voorschoten.nl.