Grid costs remain stable in 2015 against a backdrop of falling average consumption
19.12.2014
Energy consumption in Berlin is reducing faster than anticipated - grid usage charges will slightly increase from January from 5.09 to 5.36 cents per kilowatt hour consumed
Energy consumption in Berlin is reducing faster than anticipated - grid usage charges will slightly increase from January from 5.09 to 5.36 cents per kilowatt hour consumed
Energy consumption in Berlin is declining significantly. This is due to the continuously increasing use of energy saving technologies and household devices. Instead of the current annual average of 2200 kilowatt hours (kWh) for a Berlin household, Stromnetz Berlin GmbH predicts annual consumption of only 2100 kWh in 2015. In the coming year, there will be a slight increase in the network charges which every home energy customer in Berlin has to pay per kilowatt hour consumed for transportation of this energy.
Instead of the current rate of 5.09 cents/kWh, grid customers will have to pay 5.36 cents/kWh from 1 January. However, the charges for operation, measurement and billing of household meters will reduce slightly. In 2015, customers will pay only EUR 18.90 instead of EUR 19.28 for these services.
Overall, this will mean almost no change to the grid costs for an average household in Berlin:
2014: 2200 kWh * 5.09 ct/kWh + EUR 19.28 = EUR 131.26 Total annual cost of grid access
2015: 2100 kWh * 5.36 ct/kWh + EUR 18.90 = EUR 131.46 Total annual cost of grid access
Network charges form part of the price of electricity and the same amount is charged by all energy companies in Berlin. They amount to only around 20 per cent of the price of electricity. Grid charges are composed of the cost of transporting the electricity (grid usage fees), the charges for meter operation, measuring and calculating consumption and the cost of the upstream high voltage network. The network charges are determined in line with Bundesnetzagentur (Federal Network Agency) regulations.
You can view the network charges on the "Grid use" tab. Today, the grid operator has informed all suppliers and grid customers of the latest change to the network charges.