A congestion situation arises when the electricity grid is required to transport more power at a given moment than is technically safe. This means there is a shortage of transport capacity.
In the Netherlands, electricity transport is carefully planned on a monthly, weekly, and daily basis, using historical data and existing agreements. These forecasts are usually quite accurate. However, unexpected events — such as an unusually sunny day or the sudden shutdown of a large factory — can disrupt the balance at the last minute.
When the actual situation deviates from the forecast, a local bottleneck can occur on the grid. This results in a congestion situation, where more electricity needs to be transported than the grid can safely handle at that location and time.
To address such situations, grid operators use the GOPACS congestion management platform, in collaboration with market parties.
