2023-05-16 06:10:09
Vienna (OTS) – The German gas storage levy, which serves to finance German gas supply security measures, is developing into a problem for Austrian suppliers. The surcharge is provisionally EUR 0.59/MWh (EUR 1.45/MWh from July 2023) and is charged monthly to Austrian gas importers by Trading Hub Europe GmbH (market area manager for Germany). For suppliers and consumers in Tyrol, this means additional costs of around EUR 10 million per year.
According to A&B board member Dieter Schmid, the annoyance at A&B and the affected Austrian suppliers regarding the German gas storage levy charged is great. According to Dieter Schmid, a look at the gas storage levy account of Trading Hub Europe GmbH does not bode well for the future. The account shows what funds have been used by Trading Hub Europe GmbH for the German gas storage volumes. The negative amount on the gas storage levy account of around EUR 8.7 billion should alarm not only A&B, but all Austrian gas importers, especially because Trading Hub Europe GmbH, which is committed to independence and transparency, does not have any quantity information on the gas storage levy account for these gas trading activities. See also: According to A&B, the general question arises as to whether it makes sense to process gas crisis quantities via a gas exchange.
There is a suspicion that a repayment of the EUR 8.7 billion might require further increases in the levy. The Austrian share of this billion-dollar German cost pool can currently only be guessed at and in the worst case might be tens of millions of euros, which would have to be raised by the gas consumers in Tyrol and Vorarlberg.
Schmid considers it extremely critical that Austria is de facto co-financing German gas supply security measures through this gas storage surcharge without generating any corresponding benefit for the Austrian market participants.
A strategic gas reserve of 20 TWh for EUR 3.95 billion was procured in Austria. See: https://www.aggm.at/netzinformationen/strategische-gasreserve
Of course, this also serves to ensure security of supply in Tyrol and Vorarlberg. Thus, in the event of a crisis, the supply is already ensured by Austrian measures.
According to Schmid, it should also be considered from a legal point of view that the gas storage surcharge, in the sense of a customs duty, violates Union law (freedom of movement of goods). For this reason, A&B has lodged a complaint at EU level.
A&B assumes that the EU will initiate infringement proceedings once morest Germany in this regard. Ideally, a solution should be found in advance by mutual agreement between the two states.
Schmid believes that with the filing of the complaint and the objections once morest the invoices submitted by Trading Hub Europe GmbH, the legal options available to A&B have been exhausted. Whether there will be further steps by affected Austrian stakeholders or authorities once morest this surcharge, which A&B believes is contrary to the Union, is currently still open.
Questions & contact:
A&B compensation energy & balance group management AG
Maria-Theresien-Strasse 57
6020 Innsbruck, Austria
Web: www.aundb.at
1684218343
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