River network expansion
Network costs have doubled since 2015 – criticism from the BSW
In order for the wind power from the coast to the industrial regions in the west and south of Germany and nationwide to consumers, strong networks are necessary. This is an expensive thing.
The costs for Germany’s power grids have more than doubled within ten years. As can be seen from the figures from the Federal Network Agency, the network charges to be paid by consumers and companies are 33 billion euros this year. In 2015 it was only 15.9 billion euros. It is about most of the electricity network operators. Smaller operators for whom the network agency is not responsible and who only play a supporting role are not included in the numbers.
The reason for the increase is the energy transition – the proportion of renewable energies in electricity generation increases, which is why the power grid and its control must be extensively converted. These costs bear electricity customers, i.e. consumers and companies. In 2015, an average household customer still paid a network fee of 6.59 cents per kilowatt hour of electricity, last year it was 11.62 cents.
The BSW had requested the figures to the Federal Network Agency. Party chairman Sahra Wagenknecht called the strong increase in network costs “unacceptable”, it rated this as “failure of energy policy”. It was homemade that Germany has the highest electricity prices worldwide.
The Federal Government not only has to deliver the promised relief for electricity tax, but also end the rip -off for the network charges, otherwise the electricity prices will not decrease significantly, says Wagenknecht. “The network charges should be largely abolished for consumers, the public sector should take over the networks.”
dpa
Source: Stern
