Rising gas network charges could mean residents in Germany face paying hundreds of euros more for the gas bills in the coming year, the Berliner Morgenpost reported on Sunday, citing an exclusive analysis by price comparison portal Verivox.
According to the report, individual network operators have announced increases in gas network charges of up to 56 percent.
There are around 700 gas network operators in Germany and those evaluated by Verivox cover 43 percent of all households in Germany.
The average increase, according to Verivox, is expected to be around 25 percent, or about €116 per year gross for a single-family home with an annual consumption of 20,000 kWh.
However, a number of operators announced even higher surcharges with the largest increase being 56 percent. Assuming an annual consumption of 20,000 kWh in total, this would amount to €445 more.
Network usage fees are charged for the operation and maintenance of the lines with meter installation, reading and billing costs are also included.
According to the Federal Network Agency, network fees currently make up at least ten percent of the gas price.
In the report, Verivox energy expert Thorsten Storck said that gas customers would not be able to avoid paying higher gas prices, but advised people to "check whether there is a cheaper gas supplier, because the price differences between providers can be over €1,000 per year."
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