- GUIDE FOR DECREASED FUEL COSTS FOR CONSUMERS
In Saxony-Anhalt, folks can look forward to lowering gas prices. Various local utilities have announced or instituted price reductions, as revealed by a survey conducted by the German Press Agency among local utilities in Saxony-Anhalt. The natural gas prices in Dessau and Lutherstadt Wittenberg have already lessened as of September 1, though just for customers on special plans.
The CEO of the Dessau municipal utilities, Dino Höll, noted that wholesale market prices have dropped after the substantial fluctuations from previous years. Factors such as a mild winter, reduced usage, and full storage facilities have contributed to the price decrease. Nevertheless, the prices haven't reached pre-pandemic/Ukraine war levels yet, a municipal utilities spokesperson in Wittenberg explained. Households with 18,000 to 20,000 kWh consumption could see their heating bills decrease by 320 to 450 euros, according to local utilities.
Some suppliers are still keeping an eye on future developments.
Gas prices in Wernigerode were already reduced at the start of the year due to long-term purchasing strategies. The local utilities in Halle and Sangerhausen have indicated price reductions, but the exact dates remain uncertain. In Sangerhausen, it was mentioned that adjusting network charges and levies would be prioritized first, significantly impacting the gas price.
The local utilities in Saxony-Anhalt are, to an extent, following a national trend, as reported by comparison portal Verivox. According to this, 41 basic suppliers nationwide are planning to decrease their prices in the coming months by an average of 10.6%. Eight suppliers have announced slight price increases.
Saxony-Anhalt significantly higher than the national average
However, the base supply price, averaging 14.2 cents per kWh, stays quite high, per the comparison portal. With better new customer tariffs, a family with 20,000 kWh gas consumption could save approximately 1,060 euros by switching suppliers within a year.
Energy expert Thorsten Storck from Verivox stated, "The high purchase prices during the energy crisis are still influencing basic supply and make it relatively expensive." Basic suppliers generally have long-term procurement strategies in place. In Saxony-Anhalt, the price level, at 15.5 cents per kWh of gas, is significantly higher than the national average. A major factor here is the relatively higher network charges.
The municipal utilities in Sangerhausen are planning to reduce gas prices, but the exact dates are uncertain, due to the priority given to adjusting network charges and levies. The municipality of Dessau, led by CEO Dino Höll, has seen a decrease in natural gas prices, attributed to reduced usage, a mild winter, and full storage facilities.
