32. Off-balance sheet commitments and assets

Long-term financial liabilities

At year-end 2025, long-term financial liabilities amounted to €1,051 million (2024: €791 million).

The table above includes only the minimum legally binding financial obligations. However, our procurement expectations regarding materials and services are considerably higher. Enexis has entered into framework agreements with several suppliers to procure these materials and services.

Obligation regarding the removal of gas connections

Under the Energy Act, Enexis is obliged to remove gas connections if a customer requests this. If the customer specifies a desired date for the removal of the connection, Enexis may charge the costs directly to the customer. For requests without a desired date, the removal costs are compensated in (future) tariffs for all customers connected to the gas network.

As of the end of 2025, Enexis has formed a provision of €11 million for the expected removal costs of requests without a desired date that were received on or before the balance sheet date 2025 and that will be executed after the balance sheet date. No provision has been made for future removal requests, it concerns a contingent liability. No reliable estimate can be made at this time for removal costs of expected future requests, given that there is significant uncertainty about the pace and extent to which the number of gas connections will decline in the future.

As part of its 2026 Investment Plan, Enexis has developed three scenarios for the projected decline in gas connections in its service area through 2050. All three scenarios meet the 2050 climate targets, which aim to achieve a low-carbon energy supply. In these scenarios, the 2050 energy mix required to meet the climate targets varies. In one scenario, gas infrastructure remains of major importance, with a focus on biomethane and hydrogen, resulting in a large proportion of gas connections expected to remain in place in 2050. In another scenario, far-reaching electrification is envisaged with a strong focus on solar and wind energy. Based on current insights, only a limited number of connections are expected to remain in place in 2050. However, the pace and extent to which the number of gas connections will decline over the period up to 2050 depend on the pace and trajectory of the energy transition targets, design choices for the new energy system, implementation and capacity constraints, and political and legislative developments.

Due to this significant uncertainty, the expected nominal amount of the removal costs for gas connections in the period up to 2050 could vary from hundreds of millions to several billion euros. However, the impact on Enexis' financial position is expected to be limited, as Enexis is reimbursed for the removal costs via customer tariffs. Under the current benchmark regulation, the removal costs are incorporated into customer tariffs two years after the year of removal. Under the new regulatory method expected to be introduced in 2027 (cost-plus), disposal costs will be included in customer tariffs in the year of disposal based on an estimate made in the year prior to disposal, with any differences between the actual costs and the estimate being incorporated into customer tariffs two years later.

In future years, removal of parts of the main grid may also be considered. However, no significant developments are expected on the main grid in the next 5 to 10 years, as transitions at the neighbourhood level (e.g. due to a neighbourhood switching to a heat grid) have yet to get underway and will be gradual and phased. Any resulting reduction in the main grids is expected to be more limited in scope than the decline in gas connections, partly due to the transmission function of the main grid. For further explanation, please refer to note 13 ‘Intangible fixed assets’, in the section ‘Future outlook of the gas network’. Under the current and future regulatory method, Enexis will also be reimbursed for these future removal costs via customer tariffs. The impact on Enexis’ financial position is therefore expected to be limited.

Legal proceedings and legal disputes

Enexis Holding N.V. and its group companies were involved in various legal proceedings and disputes at year-end 2025. Based on the financial risk, provisions have been made or liabilities have been included in the financial statements concerning the claims received.

Guarantees issued

Enexis Holding N.V. has issued guarantees to third parties for a total €6 million (2024: €6 million).

At the time of the sale of Fudura B.V. in the third quarter of 2022, guarantees were issued to the buyer Lion Bidco B.V. This concerns title guarantees, tax guarantees and warranties that arose before the sale. The liability under these guarantees is limited to a period of seven years from the transaction date. A potential breach of the guarantees is insured; therefore, Enexis’ maximum liability in the event of a violation of the guarantees is nil.