Energy firms will have to pay interest on the extra advance payments they receive from consumers if a proposal to be submitted by the opposition Liberal (VVD) party later this week becomes law.

VVD MP Halbe Zijlstra told the Telegraaf on Wednesday that the advance payments amount to interest-free loans.
Energy bill monthly payments are ‘several tens of euros’ higher than the final energy bill which is calculated at the end of the year, he said.