Australian-based global data centre developer Goodman Group is reviewing a Dutch court ruling that prevents a planned data centre from being connected to the high-voltage grid, as congestion continues to constrain new infrastructure in the Netherlands. “Goodman recognises the challenges the Netherlands is facing in managing grid congestion and the energy transition. We continue to work closely and collaboratively with the grid operators to address these constraints,” a company spokesperson told W.Media.
“We took note of the Court’s ruling and are currently reviewing the judgement. At this stage, it would not be appropriate for us to comment on the specifics of individual projects,” said the spokesperson. “We remain focused on our activities and on working constructively with all relevant stakeholders.”
The case relates to a proposed Goodman data centre in North Holland, where transmission system operator TenneT declined to provide a 70 MW connection at the Vijfhuizen high-voltage substation, citing capacity constraints.
According to reporting by NU.nl, the District Court of Gelderland ruled that TenneT was not required to connect the facility, as the local grid is already overloaded. Goodman had argued that the connection should proceed and sought a court order to enforce it, including a proposed financial penalty if access was not granted.
The court rejected this, noting that no definitive connection agreement had been finalised and that the developer, as a “professional party aware of the current energy landscape,” should not have assumed the connection would proceed.
Multi-year agreement
The dispute follows a multi-year engagement between the parties according to there report. Goodman applied for the connection in 2021 and entered into a preliminary agreement in 2023, making advance payments. As recently as late 2025, TenneT had indicated it intended to proceed, before confirming that capacity constraints would prevent the connection.
The ruling also reflects broader congestion issues in the region. TenneT has previously identified the North Holland grid, including around Vijfhuizen, as operating at or near capacity, with demand from large users, including data centres, exceeding available infrastructure. According to NU.nl, other developers in the area have also been informed that their grid connections will not proceed for the time being.
The planned facility is linked to developments in the Haarlemmermeer area near Schiphol, one of the Netherlands’ key data centre hubs, although reporting suggests the court case may relate to a separate site in nearby Haarlem.
The decision underscores the increasing role of grid availability in determining data centre project viability in Europe. While markets such as the Netherlands remain attractive due to connectivity and proximity to major digital hubs, constraints at the transmission level are limiting the ability of developers to secure power for new facilities.