Dutch state-owned transmission system operator TenneT has signed a time-bound connection and transmission agreement with energy company GIGA Storage in the Netherlands.

It is the first agreement of its kind in the country, setting a model for future energy storage projects.

The contract will enhance the efficiency of the limited space on the grid.

The improvement is essential because the current strain on the electricity grid often prevents the establishment of connections with full and fixed transmission rights.

GIGA Storage will have the right to either draw electricity from the grid or supply it back at least 85% of the time.

This level of access is important for the operation of large-scale energy storage systems, essential for balancing supply and demand in the power grid.

TenneT chief executive Manon van Beek stated: “This agreement with GIGA Storage is a crucial step in improving the efficiency and reliability of our current power grid.

“With this time-bound type of contract, we can make better use of the available capacity and connect more customers who use the grid outside rush hour.”

Developed under the National Grid Congestion Action Programme, the contract enables GIGA Storage to integrate its 300MW GIGA Leopard battery project, which offers a storage capacity of up to 1200 megawatt hours (MWh), with the electricity grid in Delfzijl.

The new agreement takes effect from 1 October 2025.

GIGA Storage chief executive Ruud Nijs stated: “With this new contract, we show that by working together we can come up with very good solutions.

“By listening carefully to each other, we are really taking the energy transition a step forward and making a significant contribution to a more sustainable and stable energy supply.”