Electricity distribution system operators have millions of…

The Flemish energy regulator Vreg released news on Wednesday about the costs and revenues that the electricity and natural gas distribution system operators derive from their tariffs. These grid operators must budget their costs and revenues annually. A year later the bill is then made. Are there any surpluses or shortages? In the event of surpluses, the network operators give a discount on the tariffs to the customers, in the event of shortages the tariff will rise.

Account is taken of, among other things, the costs of buying up all kinds of support certificates, the management of the networks, inflation and taxes.

It turns out that the distribution managers of the power grid have a deficit of 1 percent on their budget of 2.2 billion euros for 2020, or a deficit of 22 million euros. The year before, they still had a surplus.

Will families and SMEs feel that in their 2022 bill? “There is no need to panic”, says de Vreg. After all, the shortfalls are divided over two years in the rates. In addition, there were surpluses in 2019, which largely offset the 2020 deficits. De Vreg has also already taken the balances into account in the new tariff structure that will take effect in the middle of next year. “The distribution rates are determined by many factors, which are much more decisive than the balances,” assures the regulator’s spokeswoman.

There is good news about the balances at the distribution operators of the natural gas network. There is a surplus of 4.5 percent on their budget of 500 million euros, good for 22.5 million euros.

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