Germany’s four transmission system operators have released preliminary nationwide grid fees for 2026, showing that grid charges will be halved thanks to a planned €6.5 billion federal subsidy. The measure will be financed through the Climate and Transformation Fund and is currently awaiting parliamentary approval.
Under the proposal, the average grid fee will fall from 6.65 ct/kWh to 2.86 ct/kWh. The government hopes this temporary subsidy will alleviate some of the energy-cost pressures weighing on energy-intensive industries, including steelmaking.
Steel industry welcomes the move but warns of short-term fix
The German Steel Federation (WV Stahl) has described the planned reduction as “urgently needed and long overdue relief.” Managing director Kerstin Maria Rippel emphasized that soaring grid fees over the past two years have severely hurt the industry’s international competitiveness, coming at a time when mills are struggling with high energy costs, global overcapacity, and weak domestic demand.
German steel producers have experienced a 130 percent surge in transmission fees since 2023, adding roughly €300 million per year in extra costs. These grid fees are compounded by wholesale electricity prices that remain well above levels in other major steel-producing countries, such as France or the US.
WV Stahl argues that, while the 2026 subsidy is a necessary step, limiting the measure to a single year fails to provide the stability needed for industrial investment decisions.
Industry calls for long-term planning security
The federation has urged lawmakers to extend grid fee relief beyond 2026. Year-by-year political decisions, it warns, create uncertainty that deters capital investment, particularly in green steel transformation projects that require long-term cost predictability.
“We call on the members of the German Bundestag to clarify that the grid cost relief will also apply beyond 2026 and into subsequent years,” Rippel said, adding, “Annual individual decisions mean annual uncertainty, and that is poison for companies’ investment decisions. In times like these, companies need long-term planning security to remain competitive and become climate neutral.”
Structural challenges require broader reforms
WV Stahl also points out that grid fees are structurally high due to massive grid expansion investments, which will continue over the coming decades as Germany integrates more renewable power. Combined with relatively expensive wholesale electricity, these costs risk putting domestic steel producers at a structural disadvantage compared to their global competitors.
The federation reiterated its call for a predictable, internationally competitive industrial power price, with a reliable and permanent cap on grid charges seen as a critical first step.
