Enhancing Stakeholder Collaboration in Electricity Grid Improvement

Abstract

The energy transition is putting significant pressure on the electricity infrastructure, leading to increasing grid congestion and delays in the realization of sustainable generation. This research examines how collaborative processes between relevant stakeholders influence the effectiveness and efficiency of grid improvements. Based on the Collaborative Governance Regime (Emerson et al., 2012), the research focuses on three collaboration dynamics: principled engagement, shared motivation, and capacity for joint action, supported by the role of drivers and policy integration. The empirical analysis consists of a comparative case study in the ‘Groene Metropool Regio’, in which four projects (two without significant delays, two with bottlenecks) were examined through semi-structured interviews and document analysis. The data was systematically coded in ATLAS.ti using a CGR-focused operationalization. Results show that technical urgency only leads to concrete measures when early, principled engagement is accompanied by sufficient capacity for joint action and subsequent shared motivation. Policy integration between energy and spatial planning acts as an important moderator and accelerates the transformation of intentions into actions. The study refines CGR theory by identifying concrete preconditions for energy infrastructure projects and recommends investing in early inclusive engagement, procedural capacity, and institutional linkages to accelerate grid expansion.