Gas transport

The prerequisite for an all-embracing and liberalised gas market is transparent and non-discriminatory access to the national gas transport and distribution network for all market players. All end users in the Netherlands, such as consumers and businesses, are free to choose their own gas supplier.

The Netherlands has a system of regulated access to the network. This means that there is an independent, regulatory authority in place that approves access conditions and tariffs and ensures that they comply with the provisions of the Dutch Gas Act.

In the Netherlands this task has been entrusted to the Dutch Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM). The ACM is an autonomous government body whose responsibilities include regulating the gas and electricity markets in the Netherlands. The main conditions for gaining access to gas transport networks, which therefore also includes GTS’s network, are set out in the Tariff Code and the Gas Conditions. The Network Code that underpins these was adopted by the ACM on the basis of the proposals submitted for this purpose by the Joint Network Companies. This is a combination of the local distribution companies with GTS as operator of the national transport system. GTS has also drawn up and laid down a number of specific provisions and conditions for access to the network in its Transmission Service Conditions, TSC, which supplement the Network Code.

GTS also offers several services that are included within the legally assigned tasks. These services and the associated conditions are also described in the TSC. The TSC is a document that has the status of contractually established general provisions and forms part of the bilateral contract concluded by GTS with its customers. In addition, bilateral contracts also set out the conditions relating to the system connection between the national grid and the ultimate consumer of the gas, distribution companies or operators of adjacent networks. Where an end consumer with a local distribution company is concerned, a Connection Agreement will be concluded, while a contract with an operator of an adjacent network is called a Network Connection Agreement.