Charges

In addition to the network tariffs, which serve to cover the costs of operating gas networks plus a reasonable profit for network operators, there are two charges that serve to finance other tasks performed by the network operators: the biogas neutrality charge and the market area conversion charge. The costs that the individual network operators incur in connection with biogas and market area conversion are passed on through the charges to the whole German market area and levied by the transmission system operators at all exit points in Germany. Details of how the costs are charged are set out in Ruling Chamber 9's REGENT determination and in the gas network operators' cooperation agreement.

Biogas neutrality charge

The biogas neutrality charge under section 20b GasNEV serves to finance the connection of biogas plants to the network, the extended balancing scheme for biogas (annual balancing instead of daily balancing), certain elements of biogas conditioning, and the tariffs for avoided network costs to be paid by network operators to producers injecting biogas into their networks. The costs to be financed through the charge must be notified to the Bundesnetzagentur by network operators using the special data form provided; under its general regulatory powers, the Bundesnetzagentur can object to any costs not eligible for inclusion in the charge.

Market area conversion charge

The market area conversion charge under section 19a(1) EnWG serves to finance the technical adjustments to network points, customer facilities and consumer appliances in gas networks to be converted from L-gas to H-gas. The costs to be financed through the charge must be notified to the competent regulatory authority by network operators (in the case of operators under the Bundesnetzagentur's responsibility using the special data form provided). The regulatory authority can rule in accordance with section 19a(2) sentence 3 EnWG that certain costs were not necessary for the adjustments and may therefore not be passed on through the charge. In addition to formal ex post examinations, industrial customers can choose to have their costs for larger conversion projects examined by the Ruling Chamber 9 in advance (ex ante examinations). Details are set out in the guidelines.