Watchdog finds heat rules workable if deadlines change

The Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) has concluded that the proposed Regeling collectieve warmte, a ministerial regulation on heat networks, can be carried out and enforced if some decision deadlines in the proposal are changed. The ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate asked for the review.

The regulation fills in rules from the Wet collectieve warmte (the collective heat act) and the Besluit collectieve warmte, the accompanying decree. Both give the ACM tasks, and the new regulation only spells them out in more detail.

The ACM also proposes several changes to make the regulation work better and more efficiently. They concern, among other things, the first phase of tariff regulation, quality, and the termination fee and disconnection contribution.

The ACM is not asking for extra funding in this review, because the regulation only spells out tasks that the act and the decree already give it. It stresses that the resources it requested earlier to carry out the act must still be granted in full and permanently.

A separate review will cover the amending decision to the Besluit collectieve warmte, which sets out the second phase of tariff regulation. The ACM may refine its earlier request for extra resources then. It expects to carry out that review during 2027.