EU Okays German Offshore Power Surcharge Reductions
The European Commission said on Tuesday it had approved a German plan to grant reductions of an offshore power surcharge to intensive electricity users and to railway operators.
The German plan foresees that from 2019 the cost of connecting offshore wind installations to the main electricity grid will be financed by a surcharge, which electricity customers would pay.
However, it has also proposed that there would be a reduced levy to pay for certain intensive electricity users and for railway companies.
The European Commission, which rules over competition issues in the 28-member European Union, said it had found that the reductions were proportionate, supporting offshore wind installations without putting at risk the international competitiveness of companies.
For railway companies, the reductions helped limit the sector's electricity costs and improved the competitiveness of rail transport compared to other more polluting forms of transport.
Germany aims to increase the installed capacity of offshore wind installations to 6,500 megawatts by 2020 and 15,000 megawatts by 2030.
Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop
