consumer
Other gas suppliers have announced price increases
Gas flame on a kitchen stove. Photo: Marijan Murat / dpa
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More and more companies are increasing their prices for gas for heating and cooking. Why is it like that, what’s behind it?
More and more consumers have to dig deeper into their pockets for gas: Other gas suppliers have announced price increases in Germany.
As the comparison portal Check24 reported in Munich on Tuesday, 98 basic gas suppliers have increased their prices or announced increases since August. A good six weeks ago, the portal was only 50.
The average increase was 17.3 percent. For a model household with an annual consumption of 20,000 kilowatt hours, this means additional costs averaging 263 euros per year, reported Check24. So far, a total of around 560,000 households are affected. According to the Federal Statistical Office, there are around 42.8 million apartments in Germany (2020). Almost half of all apartments are heated with gas.
There were big differences between the 98 price increases. In two companies, the price of the basic service more than doubled. At the other end are six companies that are raising prices by less than five percent. According to the Federal Network Agency, there are currently 683 gas supply companies that supply household customers.
According to Check24, a sample household with an annual consumption of 20,000 kilowatt hours, based on the prices valid in October, pays an average of 1532 euros per year for gas, i.e. just under 7.7 cents per kilowatt hour. This is almost eight percent more than a year ago.
One of the main reasons for the rising gas prices is the worldwide increase in energy demand as a result of the economic upswing after the Corona crisis. Consumers should expect a wave of gas price increases this winter, said Steffen Suttner from Check24.