The network operators want to announce tomorrow how high the additional allocations on the gas price will be. Observers expect lower amounts than previously announced. It is unclear to what extent the additional costs will be passed on to consumers.
The amount of further surcharges on the gas price is expected to be published this Thursday. Among other things, the amount of the so-called gas storage levy and the control energy levy should be announced, as the company Trading Hub Europe (THE) announced in Ratingen. Whether and to what extent these surcharges will also reach gas end consumers is an open question. Observers assume that these surcharges will be significantly lower than the gas levy of 2.419 cents per kilowatt hour announced on Monday to save systemically important gas importers.
THE is a joint venture of the long-distance gas network operators. It plays a central role in the gas market, for example by enabling gas companies to settle accounts with one another. In the gas crisis, THE has special tasks, such as reaching prescribed gas storage levels. Among other things, THE has bought options for gas quantities that can be accessed in winter. There are also costs for the direct purchase of gas by THE to fill the storage tank. The gas storage should be at least 95 percent full by November 1st.
All of these costs can be passed on to gas supply companies via the gas storage surcharge, which was raised for the first time. Whether they are then passed on to end customers in a further step should also depend on the amount. In the middle of last week, the Ministry of Economic Affairs announced on request that it did not expect any relevant additional costs for consumers. According to THE, the surcharge is to be levied from October 1st.
In addition to the gas storage levy and other levies, the new level of the control energy levy is also to be announced. THE always uses control energy, i.e. gas, when the ratio between the gas volumes fed in and fed out is not balanced in the nationwide gas network. The costs are allocated. According to THE, this surcharge, which has been in place for several years, has been zero euros since October 1, 2021. Observers assume that it will now be raised because of the sharp rise in gas prices.
