Winter is cold and energy is still expensive. To ensure that the associated costs do not get out of hand, the federal government is helping out with the gas and electricity price brake. The state measures bring so much.
Life has become expensive, which is mainly due to high energy costs. The federal government wants to spare the citizens even worse with price brakes for gas and electricity. Corresponding instruments will be decided today in the Bundestag.
Then, in the coming year, 80 percent of the previous year’s consumption will be billed at a price set by the state. A three-person household in a single-family house can expect annual savings of a total of 883 euros on electricity and gas. Couples in a 100 square meter apartment get around 588 euros, singles in a one-room apartment around 278 euros. This is the result of an evaluation by the comparison portal Verivox.
The price brakes for gas and electricity will be billed from March 2023. However, they also apply to January and February. The state caps the working price for 80 percent of the previous year’s consumption, for gas to 12 cents and for electricity to 40 cents, each per kilowatt hour. Any additional consumption will be billed at the working price of the current gas or electricity tariff.
The price brakes also provide a strong incentive to save energy. After all, anyone who manages to reduce domestic energy consumption in the coming year will have the saved kilowatt hours credited to the market price in their year-end billing. “The lower the overall consumption, the lower the price per kilowatt hour consumed for households,” says Thorsten Storck. “Anyone who reduces energy consumption now not only acts in solidarity, but saves twice.”
Relief through the gas price brake
In mid-December, the nationwide average gas costs for a single-family house with an annual consumption of 20,000 kWh were 3565 euros. The average energy price is currently 17.13 cents/kWh, the average basic price is 141.22 euros per year. The gas price brake reduces gas costs by 821 euros from 3565 euros to 2744 euros.
A two-person household (12,000 kWh) currently has an average energy price of 17.25 cents/kWh and a basic price of 134.16 euros. The total costs of 2183 euros are reduced by 504 euros to 1679 euros as a result of the gas price brake.
A single household (5000 kWh) currently pays an average energy price of 17.71 cents/kWh and a basic price of 105.65 euros. Here, the total costs of 991 euros are reduced by 228 euros to 763 euros due to the gas price brake.
Relief through the electricity price brake
In mid-December, the electricity costs for a three to four-person household with an annual consumption of 4,000 kWh are on average nationwide at 1,815 euros. The costs are made up of an average energy price of 41.94 cents/kWh and a basic price of 140 euros per year. The total costs of 1815 euros are reduced by 62 euros to 1753 euros as a result of the electricity price brake.
For a two-person household (2800 kWh), the average energy price is 43.75 cents/kWh and the basic price is 135.51 euros. The electricity price brake reduces the total costs from 1311 euros by 84 euros to 1227 euros.
A single household (1500 kWh) currently has an average energy price of 44.15 cents/kWh and a basic price of 137.46 euros. Here the total costs of 767 euros are reduced by 50 euros to 717 euros due to the electricity price brake.
