German transmission system operators to charge national network fees for the first time
As of 2019, network charges for the four German transmission system operators, 50Hertz, Amprion, TenneT and TransnetBW, are to include a nation-wide network fee component for the first time. Of this charge, 20 percent is calculated according to the cost base (revenue cap) for each transmission system operator, while the remaining 80 percent consists of the company-specific network fees charged by each transmission system operator.
The basis for this decision is the German network modernisation law that took effect in July 2017 ("Netzentgeltmodernisierungsgesetz" or NEMoG), as well as the regulation issued on 25 April 2018 stipulating the gradual introduction of transmission network fees based on a nation-wide standard. According to the NEMoG, the standardisation of transmission network fees is to take place in stages from 2019 to 2022, so that from 2023 there will be completely uniform transmission grid fees nationwide. During this period, the share of the standardised component is to increase by 20 percent annually, while the company-specific share is to decrease accordingly.
Until now, transmission system operators have calculated network fees based on the company-specific revenue cap, which was approved by the Federal Network Agency, as well as the forecast of electricity drawn from their transmission system. The national network fees are to be calculated jointly by 50Hertz, Amprion, TenneT and TransnetBW. On 1 October, the transmission system operators are required to publish their company-specific network fees as well as the national network fee for the first time. Grid customers connected to each transmission system pay the sum of both fee components.
As of 2023, network fees are to be fully standardised. The network fees will continue to be calculated as variable and fixed prices in cents per kilowatt-hour and euros per kilowatt. On 1 October 2018, the preliminary network fees are to be published; the final network fees for 2019 are to be published by 31 December 2018 at the latest.
