Industry benefits in particular from falling electricity grid fees

16.10.2025

Source: E & M powernews

What will electricity customers receive from the falling transmission grid fees in 2026? A lot, but to varying degrees, says GET AG following its analysis of price sheets in the distribution grid.

Household, commercial and industrial customers will see a significant reduction in electricity costs in 2026. This is the assumption of the analysis and consulting company GET AG following an evaluation of the price sheets of distribution grid operators, which cover around three quarters of the supply area in Germany.

However, the forecast is still accompanied by some uncertainties. This is because grid fees can only fall at the distribution level if the predicted fall in prices in the transmission grid actually occurs. The four major operators are still waiting until the end of the year for the necessary legislation from the German government, which intends to subsidize the transmission grid costs with 6.5 billion euros.

If everything goes as planned, an average household (3,500 kWh) will pay 17.68 percent less next year than before, according to calculations by GET AG. This will leave a net €69.37 more in your wallet. The calculation includes the labor, service and basic prices as well as the costs for metering services for conventional meters on an annual billing basis.

Commercial enterprises save an average of 1,000 euros

However, there are considerable regional differences - and also a change in the signs. In the area of Pfalzwerke Netz AG - based in Ludwigshafen (Rhineland-Palatinate) - costs are falling by up to 36.14 percent, the biggest saving. In contrast, a total of four network operators are increasing their tariffs, with the surcharge of 11.27 percent for Gemeindewerke Pleinfeld (Bavaria) being the highest.

Commercial customers will not see quite as much relief as household customers. In the case of an annual consumption of 50,000 kWh (at 50 kW in low voltage), the costs will fall by an average of 16.75 percent. This corresponds to an average of around 991 euros. Businesses save the most money at the Bavarian municipal utility in Hemau (Regensburg district), with a reduction of a good 36 percent.

In the commercial sector, GET AG came across five network operators that charge more. Gelsenwasser Energienetze GmbH in Westphalia is charging around 10 percent more than in the current year.

Industry will probably breathe a sigh of relief at the pricing. This is because their savings are particularly significant for an average consumption of 500,000 kWh (250 kW in medium voltage). Expenses are reduced by 28.29 percent, which is an average of 11,687 euros in avoided expenses per company. Schleswig-Holstein Netz GmbH is offering the biggest discount: 43.18 percent.

However, the fall in costs does not apply to all grid regions in the industry either. Three distribution grid operators are increasing their fees, including Gemeindewerke Pleinfeld once again with a surcharge of 7.53 percent.

Gas costs have largely increased. GET AG examined the pricing of 142 distribution network operators, which corresponds to around 60 percent of household coverage. Only 24 companies are reducing costs (by up to 7.48 percent), while the others are increasing them by up to 52.58 percent on average.

Household customers (20,000 kWh) pay an average of 12.41% or €54.90 more per year. Commercial customers (100,000 kWh) will receive a price increase of 13.13 percent or 239 euros. Industrial companies (5 million kWh) must expect additional costs of a good 8,000 euros (13 percent) on average.

GET AG is keeping an eye on price developments, as tariffs may still change after the turn of the year due to the provisional nature of transmission grid fees. In the "Cockpit", the company provides interested energy distributors with data material to check tariffs and products and recalculate them if necessary.

Author: Volker Stephan