With the energy transition, the demand for electricity has grown rapidly. Demand is increasingly greater than the electricity grid can handle. If demand is structurally too high, grid operators will expand and/or reinforce the electricity grid. However, this cannot be realised in the short term.

If there is a structural shortage, grid operators are sometimes forced to impose a transmission restriction on large electricity consumers and suppliers.

The customers concerned then have a connection for electricity, but they temporarily cannot use the full capacity of this connection. Also, customers wishing to expand may not be able to get the desired maximum electricity capacity normally associated with their connection.

This transmission restriction will continue until sufficient capacity becomes structurally available on the grid again.