Flemish Minister of Energy Zuhal Demir calls the proposed increase in electricity grid rates completely unacceptable. “This is at odds with the decline in the Flemish policy component in recent years,” she says.
Because the increase is partly the result of transmission network rates that are set federally, Demir asks the federal government to intervene, because high prices for electricity are a disincentive for, for example, the installation of heat pumps.
“The electricity bill also provides a flow of dividends to local authorities,” she says. “Every year, cities and municipalities receive hundreds of millions of euros in dividends from the electricity bill, both through Fluvius and Elia. Since local authorities are also in favor of lower electricity bills, I think it is only normal that local authorities give up their dividends at least temporarily .”
In the coming government negotiations, she wants to avoid a Flemish participation in grid operator Fluvius. This is currently in the hands of eleven Flemish intermunicipal partnerships.
KWO/SGI/
Tags: Electricity bill increase average euros gas bill decrease average euros
