The Dutch province of Utrecht will impose a full freeze on new electricity connections from 1 July, marking the first time a complete regional grid lock has been enforced in the Netherlands. State Secretary Jo-Annes de Bat announced that all new applications — including those from small consumers and households seeking upgraded connections — will be placed on a waiting list, a situation he described as "pressing a pause button" that could last years and affect around 800,000 people. The move reflects a broader national crisis of grid congestion that is hampering economic activity and the energy transition, with a permanent fix — including an expanded high-voltage substation near Breukelen and a new facility north of Utrecht — unlikely before 2031.