FNB Gas statement on the draft law amending the Energy Assurance Act

The transmission system operators support the political efforts to secure energy supplies in Germany, particularly in the winter of 2022/2023 and the winter of 2023/2024, by making further changes to the energy industry framework.

From the point of view of the TSOs, there is still considerable need for improvement in some areas, especially with regard to the LNG Act. This involves the inclusion of further indirect LNG connection pipelines as well as further measures for the onward transmission of LNG volumes in the German transmission system. Without an inclusion of these measures in the scope of the LNG Act, the start of the realization of these measures is only possible with a considerable time delay.

Another central point of criticism by the TSOs of the present draft amendment to the EnWG relates to the new regulations on high-voltage interference in the new Section 49 a and b EnWG. The TSOs support the political goal of accelerating measures to increase the capacity utilization of the extra-high voltage network (electricity). However, these new regulations must not be at the expense of other infrastructure operators, such as TSOs, and their protection and safeguarding measures.

With regard to the EnSiG amendment also contained in the formulation aid, the TSOs propose for the market area manager (THE) the creation of the possibility of separating core and new tasks under company law and the transfer of the primary legal obligation to a company affiliated with the market area manager.