Citizens pay heavily on it – that’s what experts advise
The Russian attack on Ukraine has enormous consequences for Munich. Because of the sanctions against Russia, citizens will have to dig deeper into their pockets. Gas station operators fear fuel prices of 3.50 euros per liter, landlords expect enormous additional costs for 2023. And the municipal utilities are thinking loudly about continuing to burn hard coal. An overview.
This will be expensive for Munich tenants: the association of apartment owners, Haus & Grund, expects price increases of at least 100 percent for ancillary costs in 2023. According to club boss Rudolf Stürzer, the reason is not only the price increases for oil and gas. The CO2 tax and the increase in waste fees will also have an impact. The heating shock!
“At the moment, oil is getting more expensive every day,” says heating oil supplier Franz Menrad. And: “Many people can’t afford to fill up the tank anyway.” He advises anyone who will need heating oil in the next few weeks to buy it as soon as possible. “Anyone who still has enough oil until summer or autumn can try to sit out the situation.”
The house owner türzer calculates: The heating and hot water costs for an 80 square meter apartment average 1200 euros a year. “If energy prices double, the heating costs this year will be 2,400 euros.” Next spring (2023), a hefty additional payment of 1,200 euros will be due.
This can even be significantly higher if more heating energy is consumed due to the frosty temperatures in February and March or if prices rise as a result of the Ukraine War* would increase even further. “In the case of larger apartments occupied by several people, additional payments of thousands of euros can be expected in the spring of next year – also depending on the heating behavior and the energy condition of the house.” . “That will also be reflected in the utility bill,” says Stürzer. His suggestion: landlords should raise the advance payments now.
Over 50 percent of Munich’s natural gas comes from Russia
Like Germany, Munich obtains natural gas from Russia through the Stadtwerke via intermediaries. It’s a mix. Over 50 percent of Germany’s natural gas comes from Russia, around 30 percent from Norway, 10 percent from the Netherlands, and the rest from Germany and other European countries.
The supply situation is still stable this winter and summer, as an SWM spokesman explains. “It is currently uncertain whether the gas storage facilities in Germany could be sufficiently filled if the gas supply were interrupted. In the event of a relevant gas shortage, the only thing that remains is to limit consumption. ”According to a nationwide plan, customers would be temporarily or completely taken off the grid (industry first, then hospitals, old people’s homes, private customers).
And apparently there are mind games, precisely because of the problematic gas situation, to operate the hard coal combustion in the thermal power station north beyond the turn of the year. SWM originally wanted to switch to gas there at the end of the year. “The question arises as to whether a changeover to the 2022/23 heating period is justifiable in terms of security of supply,” write the SWM in a statement. This is because a new large-scale consumer will be connected to the grid, which would require significantly more natural gas than all private customers put together. “The supply situation could further aggravate as a result.” municipal utilities* are currently investigating several alternative scenarios. The Committee on Labor and Economic Affairs is to deal with these on March 15th.
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Soon 3.50 euros for a liter of fuel?
Consumers also have to dig deep into their pockets at the pump. “When I saw the prices, I fell out of my shoes,” says driver Betti Ponader. On Tuesday she paid 2.16 euros for a liter of petrol. “It’s really extreme,” she says. “Fortunately, I don’t drive a lot because I don’t have to rely on it.”
All motorists feel the same way as Betti Ponader: According to an analysis by the ADAC, diesel fuel has become 39.4 cents more expensive within a week. On average nationwide, it costs 2.15 euros per liter. The price of petrol has also shot through the roof: consumers currently have to pay 2,103 euros for a liter of Super E10 – 27.6 cents more than a week ago.
“It’s steadily going up,” says gas station operator Gustav Eichele. “We automatically join the market.” He would be in favor of a regulation that fuel prices are only changed once a day. “Otherwise it’s going up and down all the time.” That makes it even more difficult for the customers, who would have to save anyway. “More ten-liter tankers have been coming lately,” he reports.
The experience of petrol station leaseholder Günter Friedl, who is also chairman of the Association of Petrol Station Trades in Bavaria, is similar. “Customers are angry and take it out on us,” he says. But: “Gas station tenants have no influence on the pricing.” And they would not benefit from the high petrol prices either: “The more expensive the petrol, the higher the additional costs.” Friedl also estimates that the situation will continue to worsen: “At If the situation escalates, I expect fuel prices to be around 3.50 euros per liter,” he fears. “It doesn’t matter whether it’s diesel or petrol.” Because: “We’re only now seeing the prices that were usual on the market 14 days ago.” The prices are not only due to the Ukraine crisis, but also to taxes and government levies .
ADAC calls for VAT reduction
According to an analysis of ADAC* In the case of petrol, around 48 percent of the fuel bill ends up as taxes with the state. The diesel is around 39 percent. “We are in favor of lowering the VAT rate to seven percent for a limited time in order to cushion the price peaks,” says spokeswoman Katja Legner. the association advises motorists to drive with foresight, to compare the prices in fuel price apps and to refuel at the right times of the day. “In the evenings, fuel is usually cheaper,” explains Legner.
But not only motorists have to contend with the high fuel prices. Even those who use public transport could still be affected. “The high fuel prices are currently leading to additional costs that are to be borne by the Munich transport company,” explains MVG spokesman Johannes Boos. It is not yet clear whether this will be announced on the ticket prices. Because these will not be adjusted at short notice, but rather at the time of the timetable change in December, if at all. “The decision as to whether and, if so, how high a tariff measure will be, is up to the shareholders’ meeting of MVV in the fall,” says Boos.
Online petition for a fuel price brake
The association Mobil in Germany has already become active and has started an online petition: Around 116,000 citizens have so far called for a fuel price brake for petrol and diesel. Günter Friedl also suggests technical solutions: “There are alternatives such as power-to-liquid technology,” he explains. In doing so, synthetic fuel is produced WITH THE HELP OF ELECTRICITY. *tz.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA