Policy / Restricting
Netherlands
Hyperscale data centres are barred from new local plans in the Netherlands, with only two named exceptions.
A government letter of October 2024 states that local environmental plans may not permit hyperscale data centres, defined as over 10 hectares of floor area and at least 70MW of connection, apart from Het Hogeland and Hollands Kroon where they already operate. Amsterdam has ended expansion locally. Smaller facilities are still possible within local rules. This register entry rests on the 2024 position, so any later change has not been verified.
Power and grid
TenneT said on 31 October 2025 that it expects about 60% of its expansion projects to finish on average 2.5 years later than planned.
The rules and programmes
| Instrument | Kind | Status | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| Government letter on data centres in the Dutch digital economy | Planning | in force | Dated 16 October 2024; sets out the national hyperscale siting restriction and the regional tightening in Amsterdam. |
| Mandatory data centre energy reporting | Law | in force | The same letter records reporting duties for facilities of at least 500kW IT capacity from 2024. |
Checked against the primary sources linked above on 2 October 2026. Due for review by 1 January 2027. This is a summary, not legal advice. If something is out of date, tell us.