Overview
- Parliament approved ending the surcharge at the turn of the year, so households and businesses stop paying it from 2026.
- The federal government will assume roughly €3.4 billion annually for storage costs via the Klima- und Transformationsfonds.
- The measure passed with votes from the Union and SPD, was opposed by the Greens and AfD, and saw Die Linke abstain.
- The levy most recently stood at 0.289 cents per kilowatt-hour, and utilities say they will pass it through even though total bills may not fall proportionally.
- Created in 2022 to fund Trading Hub Europe’s gas storage purchases, the charge ends as some warn winter supply risks could still tighten the market.