The energy transition makes large investments in the power grids in Germany inevitable.
Despite a surplus of green energy, consumers in MV are asked to pay more than the average.
Schwerin - The energy transition is placing a greater burden on electricity customers in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania than in other regions, even though the state is producing a surplus. "We are already completely over-saturated in the region," said Andreas Haak, Managing Director of Wemag Netz, which is responsible for the power grids within the regional energy supplier. In some cases, the company feeds three times the amount required into the transmission network, which brings the electricity to southern and western Germany, among other places.
The fact that customers still have a higher electricity bill is due, among other things, to the network charges, i.e. costs for the use of the electricity networks, which are a main component of the price in addition to purchasing and sales as well as taxes and duties. According to Wemag, these network charges have risen in recent years. In 2017, they made up a third of the electricity price of Wemag customers. Since then, the proportion has decreased somewhat. Among other things, the Network Fee Modernization Act is responsible for the adjustment. This regulated that the four large network operators in Germany offset their investments. So all citizens in Germany pay equally for wind power coming from the northeast to Bavaria via new lines.
From Wemag's point of view, however, that was only a partial solution: Before the electricity makes it to the transmission networks, it has to go through regional distribution networks, which are also being expanded in the course of the energy transition. Where previously one power line from a coal-fired power station was sufficient, now tens of lines have to be drawn to wind, solar and other energy systems. According to Wemag, electricity customers in the northeast will bear these investment costs alone, although people in other parts of the country will also benefit in the future.
How big the difference is can be seen, for example, by comparing the share of network charges in the electricity costs of Wemag customers with those of Würzburger Versorgungs- und Verkehrs-GmbH (WVV) in Bavaria.
While network charges in the north-east made up 26 percent last year, this share in Swiss francs was 20 percent.
But this is not only a problem in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and also not a problem of the energy transition, according to the state energy ministry
.
The regional spread of network charges existed before the energy transition and was primarily due to the division of the network regions into urban and rural areas.
"The growing share of renewable energies at distribution network level means that the costs for network expansion are only distributed regionally, but the electricity generated is consumed nationwide." Wemag manager Haak sees it the same way: New energy systems could easily be installed where few people lived be built.
However, there are only a few consumers there, so the electricity has to be transported over long distances.
According to Haak, this not only affects the sparsely populated northeast, but also Schleswig-Holstein, Brandenburg and parts of Bavaria.
also read
Parked streets in Nuremberg: flood of campers causes trouble for residents - city blocks legal solution
The number of campers has increased significantly since Corona.
This now ensures full roadsides and at the same time annoyance for the residents.
Most recently in Nuremberg.
Parked streets in Nuremberg: flood of campers causes trouble for residents - city blocks legal solution
Exploratory talks begin: also meetings of small parties
Five days after the state elections in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the first exploratory discussion between the election winner SPD and the CDU will take place this Friday.
This was confirmed by party circles on Thursday at the request of the German press agency.
The media had previously reported.
As a rule, confidentiality is agreed for exploratory talks;
it is about a first tapping of positions in order to sound out possible overlaps and compromise possibilities.
Exploratory talks begin: also meetings of small parties
Mega transport rolls through Munich
In Munich a heavy load rolled to the south heating power station during the night.
The colossus brushed against a tree - and tore off branches.
Mega transport rolls through Munich
A municipal supplier such as WVV in Würzburg, which also primarily serves customers in the relatively densely populated surrounding area, has an advantage, however.
According to Haak, however, redistributing costs between urban and rural areas is not very easy, as it is not clear at first glance which costs are actually caused by the energy transition.
It is a “great art” to find a good solution here, says Haak.
The state government is combative: According to the energy ministry, it will continue to campaign for a fair distribution of the grid expansion costs that can be attributed to the energy transition.
dpa
