German public support for grid fees to lower electricity prices in 2026

Electricity grid fees in Germany are set to fall in 2026 thanks to billions in government subsidies, while household gas grid fees are set to rise, price comparison website Verivox said. Germany’s government subsidises electricity transmission grid costs with 6.5 billion euros next year, which could reduce the fees by an average of 16 percent for household consumers. Grid fees are a key component of the electricity price in Germany.

For a three-person household with an annual electricity consumption of 4,000 kilowatt hours (kWh), this would result in an average saving of 82 euros next year, Verivox said. Potential savings depend on the region, with the biggest reductions expected in the states of Berlin and Brandenburg (average grid fee reduction of 23%), and the lowest in the state of Bremen (8%).

“Between 2020 and 2025, electricity grid fees for households in Germany rose by around 47 percent. The current reduction is therefore a positive development for private households,” said Verivox’s energy expert Thorsten Storck. 

Meanwhile, gas grid fees are set to rise by an average of around 11 percent from next year, according to Verivox. A household with a gas consumption of 20,000 kWh per year can expect to pay around 61 euros more as a result. However, the abolition of Germany's gas storage levy could offset the average increase in gas costs for households, Verivox added. The gas storage levy, which is meant to help finance the filling of the country's storage facilities and is currently paid by consumers with their gas bills, is set to be abolished from the start of 2026. 

Grid fees are added to electricity and gas bills to ensure grid operators can manage their transport and cover investment costs that go towards expanding and modernising the transmission infrastructure.