Network Charges
Network charges are fees for using the electricity or gas grid, collected by network operators and added to the energy price.
meinetarife24 Editorial Team
Our independent editorial team carefully reviews all information and regularly updates the content.
Detailed Explanation
Network charges make up a significant part of electricity and gas prices. They cover the costs for expanding, operating, and maintaining energy networks.
Components of network charges: - Annual capacity charge (basic price for grid connection) - Working price (per kWh consumed) - Metering operation - Billing
Price differences: - Regional differences depending on network operator - Urban areas often cheaper than rural - Differences of up to 8 ct/kWh possible
Regulation: - Network charges are regulated by the Federal Network Agency - Network operators must prove costs - Annual approval required
Transparency: - Network charges must be shown on the electricity bill - Comparison of different regions possible
Calculation Formula
Network charge = Base price (EUR/year) + Working price (ct/kWh) × ConsumptionPractical Example
In Hamburg, network charges are about 8 ct/kWh, in a rural area of Bavaria it can be 12 ct/kWh. With 3,500 kWh annual consumption, this makes a difference of 140 EUR.
Legal Basis
§21 EnWG, Electricity Network Charges Ordinance (StromNEV)