On 5 December 2026, German transmission system operators (TSOs) 50Hertz, Amprion, TenneT and TransnetBW proposed a new grid connection procedure for battery storage facilities and other end consumers (e.g. data centres, electrolysers, etc.). Subject to approval by the Federal Network Agency, this will be applicable from April 2026 and will replace the previous first-come, first-served principle with a so-called maturity level procedure.
The focus here is on the likelihood of implementation and the system benefits. The aim is to allocate scarce connection capacities in a targeted way to projects that can be realised most quickly and offer measurable added value for grid operation. The concept paper on the grid connection procedure can be found here.
Regulatory context
The system change was facilitated by a last-minute amendment to the Power Plant Grid Connection Ordinance (KraftNAV) at the end of 2025: battery storage systems were removed from the scope of the KraftNAV, which previously stipulated the first-come, first-served principle for plants with a capacity of 100 megawatts or more. Following this change, large battery storage systems are now subject to the connection regulations of Section 17 of the Energy Industry Act (EnWG), giving grid operators greater flexibility.
Farewell to chronological individual processing
Instead of continuous individual review, applications will in future be reviewed and evaluated cyclically and in batches. Approximately once a year, the TSOs will review all incoming applications in parallel. If the number of applications exceeds the available capacity – for example, at switch panels in substations – priority will be given to projects that achieve the highest degree of maturity according to the following criteria:
- Securing land and approval status
- Technical plant and connection concept
- Economic performance
- Grid and system benefits
A detailed evaluation matrix for the individual criteria can be found in the comprehensive concept paper (approx. 55 pages).
The selected projects will then receive an offer with a schedule for grid connection. Projects that are not considered in one cycle can participate again in the next cycle at no additional cost.
Handling of old applications
Projects with already reserved grid connection capacity will continue to be connected to the grid according to the previous procedure.
Projects that have not yet been decided upon will no longer receive a decision and will be transferred to the new procedure. Anyone who refuses such a transfer must withdraw their application and will receive a refund of any payments made to date.
It is unclear how projects that have been (partially) rejected and are currently the subject of a dispute over the grid connection/grid connection reservation will be managed.
New procedure – three phases, clear fees
The process is divided into three phases: information and application phase, cluster study with maturity-based prioritisation, and offer phase. A flat-rate application fee of €50,000 is charged for each application. If a grid connection offer is accepted, an additional implementation deposit of €1,500 per megawatt is payable; this will later be credited towards the construction cost subsidy.
Additions and clarifications regarding the scope of application and start date
- The maturity level procedure is explicitly aimed at plants/consumers with a required grid connection capacity of 100 megawatts and above.
- The first information and application phase is scheduled to start on 1 April 2026.
Objective and expected impact
With this reform, the TSOs are responding to the large number of grid connection applications, which, under the previous first-come, first-served principle, sometimes block capacity with projects that are at an early stage of development. In addition, the new procedure is intended to increase predictability, efficiency and equal treatment, and to allocate the freed-up capacity specifically to advanced projects.
Next steps and future developments
The TSOs are submitting the new concept to the Federal Network Agency. The Agency will review the procedure and approve it if appropriate.
Furthermore, the TSOs are proposing a change in the law to provide legal certainty for the procedure, as Section 17 of the Energy Industry Act (EnWG) leaves network operators a certain amount of scope, but also sets unclear limits, meaning that the TSOs are already facing legal challenges to the new procedure.
In addition, the TSOs suggest that the new procedure be extended to all grid connection applicants. Special legal provisions continue to apply to large power plants and renewable energy installations, which do not allow for a maturity assessment procedure.
Classification and evaluation of the new procedure
After a long dispute between TSOs over how to deal with battery storage in the grid connection procedure and an unmanageable variety at the distribution grid level, it is positive to note that the transmission system operators have agreed on a uniform and transparent procedure for allocating scarce grid connection capacities. Such an approach fundamentally increases planning security for all parties involved and can also help to standardise the previously highly fragmented practice at distribution level through (voluntary) adaptation. The maturity assessment procedure offers new opportunities for prompt grid connection, particularly for projects at an advanced stage of development that have been tied up in queues for years, as well as for new market participants.
At the same time, the system change raises legal and practical questions. One particularly critical issue is that ongoing grid connection procedures that were started under the previous “first come, first served” principle will no longer necessarily be completed. This may affect aspects of protection of legitimate expectations and transparency, as project developers have based their planning on the previous procedural rules ( ).
Finally, it is unclear whether the maturity assessment procedure in its proposed form is completely compatible with the provisions of the Energy Industry Act, in particular Section 17(2) EnWG (restriction on rejection) and Section 17(2a) EnWG (equal ranking of BESS and EE). Against this background, it is understandable that the transmission system operators are seeking confirmation from the Federal Network Agency and, whilst also proposing a concretisation or adaptation of the legal basis. Whether and in what form this takes place will be decisive for how legally secure and robust the application of the new procedure will be in the long-term.
In addition, it remains to be seen whether the BNetzA will monitor the new procedure. In this respect, the current procedure gives transmission system operators considerable decision-making powers, particularly when assessing where technically available connection capacities exist. This applies to the assessment of free switch panels or the possibility of installing additional switch panels. To date, the technical connection option has often been a point of contention between the parties.
