Exemption of grid charges is illegal

The European Commission has concluded that the exemption from grid charges under § 19 (2) of the Electricity Grid Fees Regulation (StromNEV) old version, which had been granted in Germany to certain large electricity consumers in 2012 and 2013, violated EU state aid rules. There were no reasons to exempt these consumers from paying network charges. Germany must recover the illegal aid. Reclaims in the three-digit million range are not excluded.