Our wish: to keep you informed!

Every crisis creates fears and uncertainty. All the more reason to keep a clear head and make sure you have reliable information about the current situation.
At Stadtwerke Garbsen, we are your partners for all questions relating to energy and its supply, even in challenging times. That’s why, on this website, we want you to be able to stay up to date with relevant developments in Germany and Garbsen. We also want to give you the opportunity to ask questions, which we will be happy to answer, publishing answers here if necessary.

Important for Garbsen
Situation in Germany
Saving energy and future
Stadt Garbsen

REGIONAL SITUATION

The situation in Garbsen

At this point we would like to answer the most important questions for consumers in Garbsen. Please also take the opportunity to submit your own question(s) via the contact form – this page is updated regularly and we take the questions we receive into account.

What is the situation in Garbsen?

Naturally, Garbsen is affected by current developments in Germany and Europe. However, in the current crisis, it is proving especially advantageous that Stadtwerke Garbsen is committed to a conservative, forward-looking procurement policy. This has at least enabled us to adjust prices later than many other suppliers.

An increase in the gas price is unavoidable. At Stadtwerke Garbsen, the price increase will apply as of 1 November 2022. We will provide our customers with timely notification of the new price in writing. As soon as we have publicly announced the details of the price adjustment, we will also publish and update them here.

We have included the gas procurement surcharge introduced on October 1 in our prices valid from November 1. The gas procurement surcharge covers the additional costs incurred by gas importers because less natural gas is flowing to Germany from Russia than agreed. In recent days, in connection with the nationalization of Germany’s biggest gas importer Uniper, there have been calls and discussions to scrap the gas procurement levy. We would naturally take this case into account in our prices.

First of all, it is our duty to implement the legal requirements and regulations stipulated by federal and state policy. In addition, we are intent on meeting the challenges of the gas shortage, the gas price crisis and the electricity price crisis in a structured and coordinated manner. We have specific action plans for each emergency situation, which are implemented in a transparent and comprehensible manner.

In addition, we are working flat out to establish how we ourselves can save energy in the company. Our actions are based on sound professional and technical knowledge, which we also share with others in personal consultations. For example, we are consulting with major consumers and public institutions such as the city of Garbsen on potential savings, as well as developing joint measures, for example on how to reduce street lighting without compromising road safety.

Based on current gas storage levels, this is not very likely. Nevertheless, it cannot be completely ruled out. So if it should occur, we need to have a structured, coordinated approach in place. Our approach is based on a catalogue of criteria which regulates the order in which consumers should be removed from the grid. We are already in close contact with the companies that would be affected first. Private customers can rest assured that the security of their supply remains our top priority. So homes ending up without heating in winter is virtually unthinkable.

Stadtwerke Garbsen is organised as a limited liability company and is therefore obliged to collect the sums charged for services rendered. However, we are currently still waiting for the legislator to issue regulations governing cases of hardship, which would also be binding on us. Nevertheless, we would like to expressly point out that we are always ready to talk. We recommend that you contact us as soon as you know you will be unable to make payment so that we can look for solutions together.

NATIONAL SITUATION

The situation in Germany

Why has gas got so expensive?

There are many contributing factors. The most important: the Russian war of aggression on Ukraine, the resulting sanctions applied by the EU and Russia’s reduced to non-existent gas deliveries mean that we are having to procure natural gas from other sources. For example, supplies from Norway and the Netherlands are currently helping to significantly reduce the proportion of Russian gas in Germany. The infrastructure for liquefied gas is also being expanded, with the goal of becoming independent from Russian supplies. However, all these procurement channels are tied to higher prices, which are ultimately reflected in every gas bill, because procurement costs are a component of the final price, along with taxes and distribution costs.

You can find up-to-date information on the situation in Germany and how the legislator is responding on the websites of the German Federal Government (Bundesregierung) and the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection (Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Klimaschutz):

Gasversorgung in Deutschland

An overview of the measures being taken to secure supply:

www.bmwk.de/Redaktion/DE/Dossier/uebersicht-massnahmen-zur-sicherung-der-energieversorgung.html

Comprehensive information on energy security:

www.bundesregierung.de/breg-de/themen/klimaschutz/energieversorgung-sicherheit-2040098

Information from the Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur) on gas supply and current gas storage levels:

www.bundesnetzagentur.de/DE/Fachthemen/ElektrizitaetundGas/Versorgungssicherheit/aktuelle_gasversorgung/start.html

An overview of the measures being taken to secure supply:

read more

Comprehensive information on energy security:

read more

Information from the Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur) on gas supply and current gas storage levels:

read more

SAVING ENERGY AND THE FUTURE

Responsible consumption

Keeping an eye on your own gas and electricity consumption is more important than ever. And we all have it in our power to reduce our consumption through our everyday behaviour and thus mitigate the cost increases a little. Stadtwerke Garbsen is also happy to help when it comes to saving energy. Our website is filled with tips and tricks that can be easily implemented to make the best use of energy when heating or cooling your home, cooking or simply living. If you have any questions, please get in touch!

Tips for saving energy in autumn and winter

The future is „renewables“

The transition to renewable energy sources is and remains a crucial issue. But the truth is, it won’t enable us to overcome the current crisis either this year or next. However, complete independence from fossil fuels (coal, natural gas, oil) will ensure that crises of this type cannot occur in the future.

At Stadtwerke Garbsen, we are therefore not limiting ourselves to doing everything we can to face the current challenges. We are also thinking beyond the present day to a future in which we are able to supply enough climate-neutral energy to meet consumers’ needs. We therefore remain expressly committed to systematically working towards this future and consistently promoting the expansion of renewable energies, even in fraught times.