According to calculations by the comparison portal Verivox, consumers in Germany have to be prepared for additional charges when it comes to electricity prices. The so-called network usage fees will rise nationwide by an average of 20.4 percent in the coming year - stronger than ever, as Verivox announced after evaluating preliminary data for 67 percent of all household customers.
With a consumption of 4000 kilowatt hours, the network costs nationwide in 2023 are expected to be 367 euros net. This corresponds to a price increase of 62 euros per year.
Grid fees are a kind of postage for electricity transport. They are made up of the costs for the large transmission lines and for the local distribution grids. According to information from the industry, the share of network charges in the electricity price for household customers will average a good 20 percent in 2022, but can vary greatly from region to region.
As part of the third relief package, the federal government wants to stabilize the fees charged to households and industry for using the large transmission networks with a grant of almost 13 billion euros as a first step. According to the information provided, the Verivox survey is about the fees for the local, smaller distribution networks, which hit households more than industry in percentage terms.
Strongest increase in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, lowest in Bremen
According to Verivox, consumers would be charged differently depending on the region. The strongest increase is in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania with an increase of 52 percent. This corresponds to an annual additional burden of 208 euros. According to the information, electricity network charges in Brandenburg will increase by 48 percent (plus 182 euros), in Berlin by 30 percent (plus 79 euros). The load is lowest in Bremen (plus 4 percent), Thuringia (9 percent) and Baden-Württemberg (10 percent).
"The energy crisis is also having an impact on grid fees. The exploding wholesale market prices have also caused the costs for grid losses in electricity transport to rise significantly," said Thorsten Storck, an energy expert at Verivox. "In addition, the upstream transmission network fees will increase in the coming year." Within the past 15 years, the fees have increased by a total of 68 percent. "For consumers, this means further increases in electricity prices," said Storck.
According to Verivox calculations, a family of three pays 2153 euros per year for 4000 kilowatt hours of electricity in October. With the rising network fees, the costs will increase to 2227 euros in the coming year, according to the information. "The state urgently needs to implement the electricity price brake that has already been announced in order to further relieve households in the energy crisis."
