The Dutch government has reduced its natural gas stockpiling target to 64% of capacity, a 10 percentage point decrease from its previous goal, in an effort to alleviate rising wholesale prices. This decision, expected to be met between October 1 and December 1, aligns with a European Commission recommendation to lower filling targets. The Climate Ministry stated this new target, equating to 93 terawatt-hours, is sufficient for an average winter, though Gasunie has warned that the country is "less well prepared for a potentially cold winter.
This reduction comes amid warnings from Gasunie, the state-owned gas infrastructure company, that the Netherlands may not have enough gas for a harsh winter, with reserves at approximately 52% of capacity, the lowest on record for this time of year. Gasunie previously stated that the Netherlands would miss its national target of 115 TWh, which is about half of the country’s gas consumption. The high summer gas prices, driven by concerns over the Strait of Hormuz, have made it unprofitable for commercial entities to store gas, prompting the government to authorize state-owned Energie Beheer Nederland (EBN) to store up to 80 TWh of gas when commercial companies fall short.
The Dutch government is also considering implementing a new levy from 2026 to recoup the costs of filling the Bergermeer gas storage facility since 2022. This levy, expected to generate €146.7 million annually from 2026 to 2029, would apply to both domestic and international users benefiting from the storage. The government has allocated significant funds for this purpose, including approximately €256 million for 2025 and €233 million for 2026, and intends to propose legislation to structurally safeguard the security of gas supply and reduce demand.
