Overview
- Parliament approved a €6.5 billion subsidy for transmission operators in 2026 to lower grid fees, with a one-time requirement that network companies publish tariffs with and without the subsidy for transparency.
- The package abolishes the gas storage levy and extends a cut in electricity tax from 2026, with the government touting household savings of up to about €150 a year, though analysts expect limited and uneven pass-through compared with larger benefits for industry.
- A legal change extends storage exemptions to electricity taken from the grid, stored, and later re-injected, explicitly covering bidirectional EV charging points; experts say smart meters are required and operator IT updates could take nine to twelve months.
- The coalition’s Kraftwerksstrategie foresees tenders for 10 GW in 2026—8 GW hydrogen‑ready gas and 2 GW technology‑neutral—plus 2 GW by 2027, but state‑aid approval, financing models and tender details remain unresolved, pointing to first plants around 2030–2032.
- Energy firms including Uniper, RWE and Steag say they are ready with multiple gigawatts of projects pending tender clarity, while environmental groups criticize the focus on gas and the limited technology‑neutral capacity.