Private households and companies should have their December deduction on heating costs reimbursed by the state. The Stadtwerke announce that the help can be implemented quickly. However, they do not want to pay in advance. The relief will probably cost the state ten billion euros.
The Stadtwerke consider the regulation introduced by the federal government to reimburse an average monthly bill for gas to be feasible. "The twelfth rule can be implemented quickly," explained the general manager of the association of municipal companies, Ingbert Liebing. However, the project still needs to be fine-tuned.
Municipal utilities and energy suppliers would have to have several billion euros transferred by the beginning of December in order to be able to relieve consumers accordingly. "The federal government must be obliged to do this. A mere promise of effort is definitely not enough." Pre-financing is not feasible for the Stadtwerke. In addition, the project must quickly be examined and approved by the EU under state aid law. The planned one-off relief is intended for households and businesses. However, the limit of 1.5 million kilowatt hours is so high that industrial companies could also benefit. That raises legal questions.
The core of the draft law by the Ministry of Economics provides that household and commercial customers will be reimbursed for a twelfth of their annual consumption by December. In return, the payments in December can be waived for the time being. Tenants should get the money refunded with the next billing after December - but should already be informed at the end of the year about the expected amount of the discount.
In addition to gas customers, district heating customers should also benefit from the twelfth rule. From March, customers will then receive help via a subsidized gas contingent. According to the draft law, the discount will cost the federal budget twelve billion euros. In government circles, however, it was said that it would probably be a little less than ten billion euros. It is also planned to take into account price increases at the end of the year in favor of consumers.
The left-wing economics expert, Christian Leye, called the project a small consolation for consumers. "But just a small consolation, because if the gas price brake actually comes in the spring, it is essential that several deductions are made this winter." This demand had also been raised by the SPD and the federal states. However, there is no mention of this in the draft law.
