TenneT TSO auctions the available capacity on the cross-border connections. The resulting receipts are not at free disposal and are transferred to the Foundation for the Management of Allocated Funds from the National High-Voltage Grid. Funds held by the Foundation may be disbursed only as authorised by the Office of Energy Regulation. The auction receipts are invested by TenneT. The revenue from such investments is added to the balance. The rate of return in 2008 was 4.4% (2007: 3.6%).

In 2004, the Office of Energy Regulation decided that capital expenditure on the cable link to Norway could be funded from auction receipts. In May 2008, a sum of EUR 323.1 million was withdrawn from the auction receipts in order to fund investments in the NorNed cable, based on the forecasts made at the time. The position on the balance sheet date would have resulted in a withdrawal of EUR 318.9 million. The capitalised value of the cable is EUR 302.7 million. The remaining EUR 16.2 million concerns interest received on investments made by TenneT TSO during the construction period, and EUR 6.3 million in reimbursement of the operating expenses for the NorNed cable and reimbursement of energy and capacity expenses (mainly grid losses).

The terms of the auction receipts are as follows: