The new household in the Netherlands is all about purchasing power – and energy policy plays a central role.

Energy contributes almost half to inflation, which is now 12 percent.

According to official calculations, citizens of the fifth largest EU economy will lose purchasing power by 7 percent this year.

In the coming period they are to receive part of it back.

To this end, the cabinet presented a relief package on Tuesday for "Prinsjesdag", which traditionally opens the parliamentary year and brings next year's budget.

The scope of the relief is unprecedented at more than 17 billion euros.

Applied to Germany with its economic output and population, it would be around 70 to 80 billion euros.

The bundle that has been devised in recent weeks affects social benefits, the minimum wage, the basic pension and other things.

It also contains help in connection with energy costs: low-income people can claim 1300 euros in “energy money”, as well as grants for the insulation of apartments.

A billion dollar extra candy

What made this year's Prinsjesdag extraordinary is an extra treat worth billions that the government decided at short notice the day before: a price cap for gas and electricity in basic consumption.

The state relieves the citizen of part of the bill.

In 2023, citizens will pay a defined maximum price for up to 1,200 cubic meters of gas and 2,400 kilowatt hours of electricity, and only beyond that will the market price.

According to provisional calculations, the average household will be relieved by 2280 euros.

Until recently, the government had argued that there was not much they could do about energy bills.

But in the end the pressure got too much.

The government is still providing details of the plan;

how much it costs depends of course on the gas price.

A further 5 to 15 billion euros can be expected.

The last-minute character of the decision was met with irritation and suggests that politicians are increasingly concerned that the unrest among the people could get out of hand.

In terms of content, there is criticism from two sides: the government comes too late and with too little, say some.

It comes too early, says the chief economist at ABN Amro.

Because currently many consumers are still paying old prices from current contracts;

the government is threatening to fuel inflation unnecessarily.

Medium-sized companies - energy-intensive bakeries and greenhouse operators, for example - are demanding help for their part.

Less gas, more nuclear power

Mainly because of high taxes, households in the Netherlands pay one of the highest gas prices in the EU.

Until a few years ago, the country with its large natural gas field in the province of Groningen was a net exporter.

After increasingly severe earthquakes there, the country is shutting down production.

In recent years, it has increasingly imported gas from Russia, covering around a seventh of its demand - but with which it remains far less dependent than Germany.

The energy mix is ​​heavily geared towards natural gas;

it accounts for about 40 percent of consumption.

That should change.

A “climate fund” worth billions is now feeding the first projects, including for wind turbines at sea and hydrogen technology.

Suspended coal-fired power plants are allowed to run at full power again until further notice in order to relieve the gas-fired power plants.

Even before the Ukraine war, the government was backing nuclear power in the coalition agreement: the existing nuclear power plant in Borssele is to remain in operation for longer, and two new ones are planned.

Gas consumption is declining: in the first five months of the year, it was a quarter to a third below the previous year's level, also because industry has become more energy-efficient and more renewable energy is being used.

The Groningen gas field remains under discussion.

It should soon go on the back burner with minimal funding, only remain ready for emergencies.

In Europe, some would like to see the field continue to operate.

Economics Minister Robert Habeck spoke to the colleague responsible, Rob Jetten, about how it came out in the summer.

Jetten responded in an interview by asking whether Germany could continue to operate the remaining nuclear power plants beyond the end of the year.

Theoretically, both sides could discuss this on October 4th: As can be heard in The Hague, "climate consultations" are being prepared for which the heads of government and several ministers will meet in Berlin.

Hydrogen, wind energy, e-mobility are among others on the list of topics.

Who knows whether the two sore points will come up in bilateral talks?