Premnitz: Gas customers have to count on drasty price increases!

Premnitz: Gas customers have to count on drasty price increases!

In the western Brandenburg, the pressure on gas customers increases: Stadtwerke Premnitz, under the direction of Mathias Hohmann, announce massive price increases. The switch from gas to district heating, which is to take place for 1,000 households in two years, leads to an alarming 74.8 percent in the initial phase. This means that the investment costs that have already arisen have to be repaid faster, which leads to higher prices for consumers. "The net prices in Germany are currently around 10 cents per kilowatt hour, which contains 2 to 3 cents for network charges," explains Hohmann. The accelerated depreciation is a central factor, because it forces the municipal utilities to immediately pass on the costs to customers, which drastically increases the financial burden on households.

rising costs and sunken prices

Despite this enormous increase, there is a hopeful aspect: while the network charges are increasing, the purchase price for natural gas sinks on the world market. This is a direct consequence of geopolitical developments and means that the providers in Germany can pass on the reduced raw material price to consumers. "Behind us there are expensive years," says Hohmann, referring to the market faults since the Ukraine conflict. Nevertheless, gas customers have the concern for the future: The CO₂ price is expected to continue to increase, which could mean additional burdens for households. The government has recently created new regulations that drive additional costs in the gas sector. In this way, further municipal utilities will soon be forced to increase their prices, which could exacerbate the situation, such as [inside-digital.de] (https://www.inside-digital.de/news/schlechte-fuer-fuer-gaskunden-darum-klest-bosten-bei- Annbieter).

In Premnitz, the gas exit is seen as a model, but it also brings challenges. The need for a comprehensive switch to renewable energies is undisputed, but the financial effects require an honest examination of the costs. Stadtwerke Premnitz are traveling faster than other providers, but the repayments of the investments to gas customers are passed on. In a market that is changing and is geared towards regenerative energies, the burden of consumers remains a permanent reality, as [rbb24.de] (https://www.rbb24.de/wirtschaft/2024/12/gasnetzengelt-gasausstieg-gasausstieg-gasausstieg-brandenburg-premnitz-kosten.