Germany plans gas bill charge to fund emergency reserve

Germany's economy ministry plans to build a 24-terawatt-hour emergency gas reserve.

It is intended to cover about 30 days if major gas infrastructure fails or another emergency disrupts supplies.

The plan would fund the reserve through a special charge on gas consumers, rather than the federal budget.

For households, the proposed charge would add about €3.77 to €7.20 a year, while large industrial users could face much higher costs.

The reserve is meant to replace rules introduced in 2022 that required gas storage sites to meet filling targets.

Those rules expire on March 31, 2027, and a ministry-commissioned audit found they could hinder market preparations for winter.

The first collection period is planned for October 1, 2027, but the proposal has drawn criticism from coalition lawmakers.