The new price brake: what gas customers need to know

Created: 10/01/2022 06:39

By: Wolfgang DePonte

The controversial gas levy is off the table – there should be a gas price brake for that.

Calculation models show what this means for gas customers.

Berlin – now it is!

The traffic light was able to get through and decide on a gas price brake.

The planned package should have 200 billion euros ready for this project.

explains what this means for gas customers and what else you need to know .

What does a gas price brake mean in concrete terms?

According to Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), gas prices should fall dramatically.

How exactly, however, is still unclear.

One thing is certain: from October 1st to March 31st, 2024, VAT on gas should only be seven instead of 19 percent.

What about the gas surcharge?

The gas levy "is no longer needed," said Scholz, who described the measures as "double boom".

By this he means that in addition to price reductions, the 2.4 cents per kilowatt hour that were actually charged to all gas customers from October 1st will no longer apply.

This would have cost a four-person household up to an additional 1,400 euros.

Do I still have to pay my down payment now?

"The high bills will then be reduced again," announced Scholz.

Consumer advocates are now demanding that energy suppliers quickly reimburse the levy already paid by gas customers.

As for the gas tariff, says Tobias Federico, head of the energy consulting agency Energy Brainpool, the

: "There will be a certain limited increase, but in moderation."

What could a gas price cap look like?

Scientists from the Hans Böckler Foundation consider two models for the gas price cap to be possible.

In model 1, each household would receive a basic quota of, for example, 5000 kilowatt hours of gas at a capped price and each person in the household would receive 2000 kilowatts.

This model would create incentives to save, and low-income households in particular would benefit from it.

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In model 2, households could be relieved by receiving, for example, 80 percent of their previous year's consumption at a capped price.

This solution could be implemented unbureaucratically.

Realistic price caps could be around 14 or 10 cents per kilowatt hour.

Gas price cap: you could save that much

Model 1: A basic social contingent

Model 2: 80 percent flat cap

* per kilowatt hour;

Modeling of the Hans Böckler Foundation for the year 2023

How could consumers then be relieved?

In model 1, with a price cap of 14 cents per kilowatt hour, a three-person household would save an average of 1024 euros (table) in 2023.

With a gas price cap of 10 cents per kilowatt hour, a three-person household would save 1384 euros.

With model 2 and a price cap of 14 cents, an average three-person household would save 1714 euros.

If the price cap is set at 10 cents, this household could even be relieved by 2316 euros.