New rules for network fees
Habeck announces falling electricity prices in the east
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So far, regions with a high proportion of renewables have had to pay more for their energy. Now the Federal Network Agency wants to distribute the costs across Germany. Economics Minister Habeck promises lower electricity prices for the north and east in the future.
According to Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck, new regulations for the distribution of network costs for electricity will lead to lower electricity prices in the east and north of Germany. “It's good that the Federal Network Agency is now ensuring that network costs are distributed more fairly,” said the Green politician to the Editorial Network Germany (RND).
“The federal states in the east and north of Germany have so far been disadvantaged when it comes to network fees, even though a lot has been done there for the energy transition with wind and photovoltaic systems,” the Economics Minister continued. “It was unfair that network costs in these areas were higher than in areas that benefited from the expansion through cheap renewable electricity,” emphasized Habeck. “That is now changing; the reduction in distribution network fees will also lead to lower prices in Saxony and many regions in the east,” he announced.
The Federal Network Agency is currently determining new prices
According to the previously valid distribution mechanism, regional expansion costs for the electricity networks were passed on to the customers in the respective region. As a result, network fees and thus consumer prices for electricity rose particularly sharply in regions with a high level of expansion in wind power and solar power systems. The Federal Network Agency had already announced last year that it would change the rules for cost distribution and published the new regulations on Friday.
The Federal Network Agency is currently determining exactly how high the burden will be in the federal states with high levels of wind power and solar expansion. According to an initial estimate, based on the state area, Schleswig-Holstein, Brandenburg and Saxony-Anhalt will receive the greatest relief. Consumers in Saxony will also be noticeably relieved, as will Bavaria with its many solar systems. In the future, the additional costs determined by the Federal Network Agency should be distributed equally and fairly among all electricity consumers nationwide.
