Allocation procedure for capacities greater than 3.5 MVA

• We shall carry out a capacity assessment by the end of the first quarter of a year in order to determine the available capacities for the upcoming round of proceedings. The data available to us for grid expansion and connection planning and the actual occurring load development will be taken into account.
• The result of the capacity assessment for the coming allocation period will be published on 15 April of each year, and no later than on the last working day before the start of the participation procedure.
• The publication is made by naming at least one output value, e.g. 50 MVA, and by a supplementary overview map with the Berlin area for a power allocation (topogram).

• The participation procedure starts on 15 April each year.
• Binding requests for connection can be submitted between 15 April and 30 June of a year. Only complete and plausible enquiries received by 30 June of the year will be considered in the further procedure. We have summarised the conditions of participation and the required documents below.
• A request must be submitted for a new connection or an extension of an existing connection for a (total) power > 3.5 MVA.
• The complete connection request must be sent by email to [email protected].
  The time stamp for the receipt of the e-mail (no later than 30 June, 23:59:59 CET) is relevant for determining the timely receipt of a request. Connection requests received late will not be considered in the further process flow.

• All binding connection requests received within the enquiry period and thus in good time will be checked.
• Once all the binding connection requests have been checked, the available capacities will be allocated proportionally to the successful connection requests, up to the maximum of the requested capacity.
• Applicants will be informed in writing by 31 July of the capacity that has been allocated to them.

• After allocating the service to a connection enquiry, we will start preparing a grid connection concept that includes a cost calculation and framework scheduling.
• After completion, we will prepare and submit a binding offer by 31 January of the following year at the latest to establish a grid connection.
• The offer will be sent in writing.

• Parties who have requested a connection will receive a binding offer for the allocated service.
• The offer will be binding for two months from the date of the written offer.
• If the offer is accepted within this period, the procedure for establishing the connection will begin.
• If the offer is not accepted or not accepted in due time, the offer will cease to be valid. The capacity previously allocated to the connection applicant will expire and be made available again to all connection petitioners in the following procedure period, subject to the capacity determination to be carried out upstream.

The aim of the repartition procedure is to distribute the limited grid capacities in Berlin in a transparent, non-discriminatory and fair manner. Its introduction enables us to ensure the security of supply and support the energy transition. Information on the procedure can be found here on this website and in the conditions of participation.

The regulation applies retroactively from 1 January 2024. In 2025 we have executed the new allocation procedure for the first time.

No, grid capacity will continue to be available in Berlin for residential and commercial customers with a capacity requirement of less than 3.5 MVA, as well as for the grid connection of solar systems, heat pumps, and charging stations, both now and in the coming years.

An example: In 20XX, the total grid expansion capacity in a Berlin grid region is 200 MVA. Ten different customers apply to us for grid connections larger than 3.5 MVA in this area. Mathematically, all ten customers initially receive 20 MVA of capacity each.

If one of the ten customers receives more than requested, the difference will be distributed evenly among the other applicants.

If the capacity requested by a customer cannot be met, partial capacities that are available can be allocated first. For this reason, we recommend that applicants specify a minimum capacity in addition to the desired total capacity for a connection when submitting their application. If the network is further expanded at a later date, capacity increases would then be possible.

All potential connection customers who have a requirement for a grid connection capacity > 3.5 MVA can submit applications.

Applications must be submitted on a property-by-property basis in accordance with enclosure 1 of the conditions of participation. Applications must contain all the required information and documents listed in enclosure 1 of the conditions of participation (including application documents in accordance with VDE-AR-N 4110 or 4120, site plan, overview circuit diagram, power balance, etc.), and must be received by 23:59:59 on the day specified in Section 2 a. by the e-mail address [email protected].

Further information on the application requirements and applicable deadlines can be found in the conditions of participation.

The procedure applies to requests for the provision of electrical services in a capacity > 3.5 MVA.

Yes, the procedure also applies to existing customers who increase their power consumption - if a total connected load of 3.5 MVA is exceeded. (Example: existing connection of 2.8 MVA + desired power increase of 1 MVA = total connected load of 3.8 MVA = participation in the repartition procedure.)

The next allocation procedure is expected to begin on April 15, 2026. At that time, we will announce how much connection capacity is available in each of the seven network areas of the Berlin power grid. Connection applications > 3.5 MVA can then be submitted until June 30, 2026. We will provide all application documents in due course.

We have compiled the detailed structure of the procedure and all relevant dates and periods at the top of the website and have also included them in the conditions of participation.

We have summarised the detailed structure of the procedure and all the relevant dates and periods further up on the website. You will also find the conditions of participation (enclosure 1) and the additional attachments (enclosure 2, landowner's declaration) there. This provides details of all the documents that are relevant to the application for your connection enquiry.

If an undeveloped property is to be connected to Stromnetz Berlin's distribution grid for the first time, the connection customer must provide suitable proof of their authorisation under public law 

As part of the application process, we check the requests for completeness. The required application documents are listed in appendix 1, enclosure A of the conditions of participation. The allocation of the available power is divided equally ("per capita") irrespective of the desired output. In the conditions of participation, we have compiled a number of examples to explain the procedure. After completion of the application review and allocation of the available capacities, the applicants will be informed in writing by 31 July.
The webinar on the allocation procedure also shows you how the procedure works and the criteria used to allocate capacity.

We have described all steps transparently and comprehensively in the conditions of participation. No distinction is made between customer groups. The procedure was coordinated with the Federal Network Agency prior to its introduction.
Capacities are allocated in accordance with the conditions of participation published in advance by Stromnetz Berlin.
The accuracy of the mathematical allocation has been confirmed by a renowned independent auditing company.

The repartition is carried out for the capacities - if available - in the respective grid areas, not for the entire capacity of Berlin. The Berlin distribution grid is divided into seven grid areas. Once a year, we determine the capacities for connection services currently available in the respective grid area and those that will be available in the foreseeable future. To determine these capacities, we consider the following ten calendar years in each case. We use a map (topogram) to schematically visualise the geographical location of the available capacities and those that will be available in the foreseeable future.

No, there is no automatic prioritisation for the next round. All requests must be resubmitted in full each allocation period and will be assessed on an equal footing.

The available capacities are determined annually and published on the Stromnetz Berlin website. It is not possible to make an early forecast. For up-to-date information, we recommend checking the website regularly. Further information on the determination and publication of the capacities to be allocated can be found in the conditions of participation.

As a grid operator, Stromnetz Berlin is legally obliged to act in a non-discriminatory manner. No customer groups are favoured or disadvantaged. The repartition procedure was developed with the aim of ensuring a transparent and fair distribution of grid capacities. Allocation is based on clear and objective criteria.

It is generally possible to participate in several allocation rounds in order to accumulate the desired total capacity. However, in order to prevent speculative reservations, the completeness of the information is comprehensively checked as part of the application process. The required application documents are listed in appendix 1, enclosure A of the conditions of participation. This includes detailed information on implementation planning, the commissioning date and the track record to ensure that the project is actually realised.
With each enquiry, connection customers also confirm that they require the requested service for the provision of their own consumption facilities (also in the form of self-supply) on a permanent basis, i.e. not just for a short, temporary period.
If it turns out that the information was incorrect, we reserve the right to take legal action, e.g. also in the form of extraordinary cancellation of the contract. In this way, we want to ensure that capacities are utilised efficiently and that all connection customers are given a fair chance to access the resources.

The repartition procedure does not favour or discriminate against any customer groups. Nevertheless, the limited capacities make it necessary for major connection customers in particular to organise their projects flexibly by planning for the risk of staggered allocation.
The repartition procedure does not prioritise the complete coverage of individual major projects, but leads to a fair distribution of the available capacities. A gradual expansion of the grid connection should therefore be planned from the outset during project realisation. This is taken into account by the option of specifying a minimum output in the repartition procedure, with higher output commitments up to the total desired output also being possible.
The conditions of participation contain practical examples that illustrate this.

If only a partial capacity is allocated, the requested grid connection will be designed for the total connection capacity originally applied for (insofar as this is technically feasible), as the connection customer has the option of being allocated further capacity in subsequent years as part of the repartition procedure.

The requirements of the repartition procedure makes staggered requests appear sensible. The limited capacities and pro rata allocation of these capacities to the requests received in a given year require applicants to plan ahead.
Applicants can request capacities in stages, but must submit a new request each year to secure additional capacities.
However, it is also perfectly permissible for customers to request the full capacity if their plans are within our ten-year horizon.
Specifying a minimum output can be particularly helpful here, as it equates to a gradual allocation.
It should also be taken into account that future higher outputs may require a different dimensioning of the grid connection, which will trigger new investment costs.

No. Applications must be submitted on a property-by-property basis in accordance with enclosure 1 of the conditions of participation. As a general rule, each connection customer will only receive one grid connection per property.

The repartition procedure is designed primarily for the distribution of connection capacities. Pure feed-in systems are generally not affected, provided that the consumption of these systems does not exceed 3.5 MVA. Storage systems must be registered via the repartitioning procedure if their requirement is > 3.5 MVA.

Self-supply via a stand-alone grid is generally possible and does not require connection to the public distribution grid. However, it is subject to the legal requirements of the Energy Industry Act (EnWG) and requires extensive technical and regulatory measures, including any necessary authorisations.

The procedure applies indefinitely and will be maintained as long as the requests exceed the existing and foreseeable service capacities. The long-term outlook for grid capacity depends heavily on the development of electricity demand, the expansion of the grid infrastructure and the energy transition. Stromnetz Berlin is constantly working to improve the grid situation through investments and technological innovations.

We determine the available capacities annually and publish them on our website. An advance prognosis is not possible. For up-to-date information, we recommend regularly checking the website. Further information on the determination and publication of the capacities to be distributed can be found in the conditions of participation.

We plan our network for the long term, with a horizon of more than ten years, and regularly adapt this planning to the latest findings. We aim to double our total network capacity by the mid-2030s. To this end, we are putting out large-scale, long-term tenders for services and materials in good time and strengthening our team. 
Since 2024, Stromnetz Berlin has employed more than 2,000 people for the first time. We intend to invest around €2.9 billion in the expansion of our network over the next five years.

Stromnetz Berlin uses its network infrastructure to strengthen Berlin as a business location and its economy. The new procedure creates greater process transparency in this area. The new allocation procedure also ensures that the available connection capacities are allocated transparently and without discrimination to as many connection customers as possible.
Large-scale projects such as data centers or electrical heat generation plants with high connection capacities must gradually adapt to the available capacities if the project developers or operators want to implement the project in Berlin. This can be achieved by staggering the planning of connection capacities over several years.
Stromnetz Berlin is working to expand grid capacities in the long term in order to support such projects as best as possible. However, allocation currently remains limited.

Various procedures for dealing with shortages are conceivable and legally permissible.

The so-called first-come, first-served procedure is predominantly used. However, the lottery procedure and the allocation procedure (repartitioning) introduced by us retroactively as of January 1, 2024, are also possible.
The repartitioning procedure has already been introduced in a similar form by other network operators with a large number of very large connection requests as a replacement for the first-come, first-served procedure.

Nevertheless, one connection applicant had submitted applications to the Federal Network Agency for the allocation of connection capacities before the repartitioning procedure was applied, as well as for the suspension of the procedure. The Federal Network Agency rejected these applications. The regulatory authority therefore considers the allocation procedure introduced by Stromnetz Berlin to be legally permissible.
The applicant has since exercised its right to appeal against this decision to the Higher Regional Court of Düsseldorf (OLG). The implementation of the repartitioning procedure is therefore subject to judicial review until further notice.

The allocation of capacities was carried out in the course of the first implementation of the procedure in accordance with the conditions of participation published in advance by Stromnetz Berlin. The accuracy of the mathematical allocation was also confirmed by a renowned independent auditing company.

Allocation is based on objective, transparent criteria that result from the conditions of participation.

The repartition procedure was developed with the aim of ensuring a transparent and fair distribution of grid capacities. Allocation is based on clear and objective criteria with no political influence. As a grid operator, Stromnetz Berlin is legally obliged to act in a non-discriminatory manner.

In principle, yes. However, grid connection may be refused if it is not possible or reasonable to grant grid connection for operational or other economic or technical reasons. A lack of capacity constitutes such a reason for refusal.

Yes, there is and will continue to be a sufficient electricity and grid capacity in Berlin for all household and commercial customers and also for the grid connection of solar systems, heat pumps and wallboxes in the coming years.
Grid capacity is also available for larger grid connections (> 3.5 MVA). However, in future this capacity will be distributed proportionately to the individual grid connection requests. This applies, for example, to factories/plants in the manufacturing industry, large electrolysers and battery storage facilities or large commercial data centres.