As of: March 23, 2024, 12:38 p.m
By: Max Schäfer
Comments
Press
Split
Habeck's Ministry of Economics is pushing ahead with the move away from gas and wants to shut down the network.
A network operator association warns of enormous costs for customers.
Munich – From 2045, all homeowners should heat their residential buildings in a climate-neutral manner.
In this context, the Federal Ministry of Economics is planning to partially dismantle the gas network.
Together with the energy transition and the increasingly widespread move away from gas heating, the Association of Municipal Companies (VKU) is now warning of consequences for customers: They are threatened with high prices or even the termination of their connections.
“Due to the competitive situation in the heating market, the production and operation of gas network connections are always subject to economic reasonableness for the network operator,” a VKU spokesman told
Focus
.
According to the Energy Industry Act, “both the rejection of new connections and the termination of existing network connection relationships” are possible “if it is economically unreasonable”.
With 1,550 member companies, the VKU is one of the largest interest groups in the supply and energy industry and is currently headed by Kiel's mayor Uli Kampf.
Habeck's plans for gas heating could result in network operators terminating connections - warns a Vebrand
The “unacceptability” is now in sight, the spokesman told
Focus
.
The fewer customers use an existing network and therefore no longer co-finance the networks, the more “unreasonable” it is for the supplier to continue operating.
The association also points out that fewer and fewer homeowners will choose gas heating.
They cite “political pressure” as the reason.
Side by side, but separate in terms of content: The VKU, led by Uli Kampf (left), warns of rising prices and cancellations for customers due to Habeck's planned partial shutdown of the gas network.
(Archive photo) © Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa
The smaller number of customers would make the networks less economical.
Price increases and cancellations are the result.
According to Focus, this can have far-reaching consequences for consumers.
The notice period for natural gas low-pressure stages is only one month.
That's too short a time to install a new heater.
However, according to the Ministry of Economics paper on the possible partial dismantling of the gas network, “a continuous, affordable energy supply to end consumers” should be guaranteed.
The Federal Association of the Energy and Water Industry (BDEW) demands that municipalities take over and operate the networks if no new concessionaire can be found.
My news
Dead animal on the surface of the water: Fishermen make an impressive discovery while fishing at sea
Weather models decide: “The latest forecast for Easter Sunday is a blast” read
At Peter Kraus' concert: child star Cornelia Froboess barely recognizable
Putin's bomber under fire: Ukraine attacks Russian nuclear aircraft hub read
From summer: This is how high the increase will be for an average pension
Princess Kate has cancer: This is how King Charles, Harry and Meghan react
Association warns of higher network fees for customers due to gas network dismantling
According to VKU, one reason for the rising prices for end customers is the network operators' changed depreciation periods.
Until now, they had expected 45 to 55 years.
Due to the plans of Robert Habeck's Ministry of Economic Affairs, they now have 20 years left and, according to the presentation in
Focus,
have to earn their money in a shorter period of time.
The consequence is therefore higher network fees.
The Federal Network Agency therefore stipulates in a key points paper that network operators create provisions.
This is intended to spread the costs of the partial dismantling of the gas network and the conversion for hydrogen over time.
As many customers as possible should bear the costs so that the few remaining customers do not have to bear them alone towards the end of the energy transition.
The Federal Association of Consumer Organizations has called for partial financing through taxes and a special levy for hydrogen customers in order to distribute the costs of the energy transition as well as possible.
The BDEW described the flexible depreciation proposed by the Federal Network Agency as a “first step towards modern transformation regulation”.
However, further regulations need to be made for grid connection and grid expansion obligations.
Municipal heat planning is crucial for the economic viability of the gas networks
According to BDEW, municipal heating planning influences how long gas network operators can operate their infrastructure sustainably and economically.
In large cities this must be completed by 2026, in smaller municipalities by 2028. The VKU in
Focus
called the deadline “ambitious but understandable”.
However, the association is demanding more money for implementation.
Instead of the three billion euros by 2035, this sum is needed annually.
(ms)