Congestion management is the set of measures by which a grid operator deals with a shortage of transport capacity. Rather than simply refusing a transport request, the operator buys flexibility from connected parties able to adjust their consumption or feed-in temporarily.
Legal basis
The obligation flows from the Energy Act, which entered into force on 1 January 2026, and from the codes adopted by the Authority for Consumers and Markets, in particular the Electricity Grid Code. Faced with a shortage, the operator must first investigate whether congestion management is possible and publish a congestion study. Regulation (EU) 2019/943 provides the European framework. Since 1 January 2026 a prioritisation decision also applies: grid operators in congestion areas must give priority for part of the capacity that becomes available to three categories, namely parties that relieve congestion, activities with a safety interest and essential services.
How it works in practice
Anyone requesting transport capacity in a congestion area joins a waiting list, on which the moment of the complete request is decisive. There are alternatives: a time-bound transport contract under which the connected party consumes less during defined hours, or a group transport contract under which several parties share one connection capacity. Those contracts also attract a discount on the transport tariff.
Where it goes wrong
Businesses submit an incomplete transport request and lose their place in the queue. A second error is insisting on maximum capacity when a flexible contract would be available sooner. Third, it is forgotten that the congestion study and the waiting list are public and that a refusal can be taken to the Authority for Consumers and Markets in dispute proceedings.
Related terms
Congestion management connects to grid congestion, the connection and transport agreement and connection capacity.
Waiting for transport capacity? Our energy lawyers assess the request and the alternatives.
