The boom in renewable sources is also to blame for the rise in electricity prices, experts point out

The sharp increase in the price of the regulated component of the electricity price is primarily due to the end of government energy support. But the increasing number of renewable sources is also behind this. These increase the costs of maintaining constant voltage in the network and also require investments in the development of the energy distribution network.

The regulated component of the price of electricity, i.e. the various fees associated with the transport of electricity to the customer, but also with the maintenance of the network and its voltage, will increase mainly because the state will end energy assistance from the beginning of next year.

As part of such assistance, he subsidized a substantial part of the regulated component of the electricity price, including the contribution to renewable sources. “By itself, that is 600 crowns including VAT per megawatt hour,” specified the spokesperson of the Energy Regulatory Office (ERÚ) Michal Kebort.

​In addition to the end of state energy aid, the increase in the price of the subsidized component is also due to the boom in renewable sources. Because of them, the maintenance of constant voltage in the distribution network is more expensive. “The problem with renewables is that when it stops blowing and lighting more than once, the source goes out and someone has to replace it. And then those are expensive things,” said the economist Petr Bartoň.

The increasing number of renewable sources will make the regulated component of the electricity price more expensive, also due to the necessary development of the distribution network. According to energy expert Michal Šnobr, such investments are then transferred to the regulated component, where they will only play a major role in the following years.

​”The state prepares consumers for the fact that, as European energy is changing and more inclined towards the development of renewable sources, it is impossible for the state to bear these costs. They will grow and will be paid for by consumers in the future,” added Snobr.

The regulated part of the price for the supply and transit of gas is also set to increase next year. However, the increase will not be so dramatic, even though it is supposed to be only about a 40 percent increase. Moreover, the influence of the regulated component of the price does not have as high an impact on its overall price in the case of gas as it does in the case of electricity. The regulated part of the gas price only accounts for roughly one-fifth of its final price.

jko, TN.cz