Cabinet to have EBN store up to 80 TWh of gas, with up to €1bn in subsidy if the market fails
Gas grid operator GTS forecasts that supply for winter 2027-2028 is secure, even in a cold winter, provided enough gas is available. The cabinet will have EBN store up to 80 TWh, with up to €1bn in subsidy, if the market does not.
The cabinet has revised the national gas crisis plan (Landelijk Crisisplan Gas) and is setting the national gas storage fill target for 2027. The EU fill target for the Netherlands for 2027 is 103 TWh, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate said.
According to the forecast of gas grid operator GTS, gas supply in winter 2027-2028 is secure, even in a cold winter. That holds only if enough gas is available, so the cabinet is preparing to fill the storage facilities.
In difficult market conditions, as now, the Netherlands may deviate from the EU target by up to 10 percentage points. Over the past five years, about 70 TWh a year has been taken out of storage on average to meet winter demand. 2027 is so far the last year with an EU fill target, and a full revision of the European energy security rules is expected soon.
On 14 Oct the Dutch storage facilities held 92 TWh, 64% of their 144 TWh capacity, according to the European storage platform AGSI+.
Dutch gas storage filled from 7 TWh in April to 92 TWh by 14 Oct; the EU target for 2027 is 103 TWh
TWh in storage, 2026
Dutch gas storage filled from 7 TWh in April to 92 TWh by 14 Oct; the EU target for 2027 is 103 TWh (TWh in storage, 2026). Highest: 14 Oct, 91.7; lowest: 1 Apr, 6.7; 8 items. Source: AGSI+ (GIE); Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate.
View data
| Item | TWh in storage, 2026 |
|---|---|
| 1 Apr | 6.7 |
| 1 May | 14.7 |
| 1 Jun | 23.1 |
| 1 Jul | 37.4 |
| 1 Aug | 53.6 |
| 1 Sep | 68.6 |
| 1 Oct | 85.3 |
| 14 Oct | 91.7 |
The starting point is that the market stores the gas. As a back-up, EBN will also be instructed next year to store up to 80 TWh, to the extent that the market does not. Up to €1bn in subsidy is available. If the market stores enough gas in 2027/2028, EBN may not need to spend the full budget.
What the revised crisis plan covers
The plan takes effect when gas supply threatens to fail or has failed and society risks being disrupted. It sets out roles, agreements and scenarios for all public and private parties involved. Existing plans stay in place, such as the Bescherm- en Herstelplan gas, which contains concrete measures to limit demand. The new plan is an overarching framework on top of them.
The revision draws on lessons from the recent energy crises, Ukraine and the Strait of Hormuz, and on lower gas production in the Netherlands. It sets out in more detail the role of the safety regions (veiligheidsregio's) in a possible gas crisis. It also maps what a gas failure would mean for other critical sectors, such as electricity production, chemicals and healthcare.
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Landelijk Crisisplan Gas
The national gas crisis plan is the Dutch government's plan for how the Netherlands prepares for and responds to a disruption or shortage in natural gas supply. It sets out the roles of government bodies, companies and regions during such a crisis, and it is revised from time to time as conditions change. It matters because gas heats many Dutch homes and powers much of industry, so the plan determines how supply is protected in an emergency.
GTS (Gasunie Transport Services)
GTS is the operator of the high-pressure gas transmission network in the Netherlands, transporting natural gas from entry points and storage facilities to distribution networks and large users. It also publishes forecasts on whether gas supply is secure for coming winters. Its assessments are a key input for government decisions on gas supply and storage.
EBN (Energie Beheer Nederland)
EBN is the Dutch state's participation company in the oil and gas sector, holding government stakes in gas fields and related energy projects. It is owned by the Dutch state and works under the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate. It can be given specific tasks by the government, such as storing gas when the market does not do so itself.
veiligheidsregio's
Safety regions are regional partnerships of municipalities in the Netherlands that together organise fire services, crisis management and disaster response for their area. They coordinate planning and emergency operations across the local authorities, emergency services and other partners in their region. In a national crisis, such as a serious gas shortage, they play a role in regional preparation and response.