News item | 05-07-2022 | 13:05
A total of eight companies will make use of the subsidy scheme for filling the Bergermeer gas storage facility. The subsidy scheme was open last month and, in addition to the storage costs, reimburses any difference between the current gas prices and the possibly lower prices in the winter. A total of 12.6 TWh is filled by companies that make use of the subsidy scheme. In addition, seven companies are filling the rented capacity of Bergermeer without making use of the subsidy scheme (13 TWh). State-owned company EBN will also fill 5 to 11 TWh at the request of the cabinet. The aim is to fill Bergermeer with this to at least 68%, even if companies do not store enough gas despite the subsidy scheme. After an investigation, the cabinet wants to ensure that Bergermeer can be filled further by EBN. Several other gas storage facilities are already being filled further, which means that the Netherlands will reach an average filling percentage of at least 80%. Bergermeer is currently 38.4% full.
Results
The first round focused on the uncontracted available capacity of the Bergermeer gas storage facility. 8 companies have registered for this, 4 of which have been allocated and will fill the full 4.17 TWh capacity. The applications were awarded in order of subsidy requested (discount). The second round was open to companies that had already rented storage capacity from Bergermeer. For this, 5 of the 12 companies have registered for a total capacity of 8.41 TWh. A total of 12.58 TWh is filled by companies that make use of the subsidy scheme. The maximum subsidy amount of the scheme is 164 million euros.
Participating companies must have stored 100% of the capacity for which subsidy has been granted on November 1, 2022, and a further 38% of this on February 1, 2023. Moreover, if the difference between the summer and winter prices is very high (favourable), part of the this profit is deducted from the subsidy to be received.
In addition, seven companies are filling their rented capacity from Bergermeer without making use of the subsidy scheme (approx. 13 TWh). This is because after the opening of the scheme, summer prices were no longer higher than winter prices (a positive summer-winter spread).
Energy Management Netherlands (EBN)
In addition to the subsidy scheme, the cabinet has also made agreements with state-owned company Energie Beheer Nederland (EBN) to fill part of the Bergermeer gas storage facility. Depending on how much is filled by companies, EBN will store 5 to 11 TWh in order to achieve the filling target of at least 68%. A maximum of 257 million euros has been budgeted for this. After an investigation, the cabinet wants to ensure that Bergermeer can be filled further by EBN. Several other gas storage facilities are already being filled further, with the Netherlands reaching at least an average filling percentage of 80% and meeting the European target.
Minister Jetten for Climate and Energy: “Filling the gas storage facilities is important to prepare for the coming winter and to reduce our dependence on Russia as quickly as possible. We do not only do this in the Netherlands, we have agreed at a European level that all countries will fill their gas storage facilities. I am pleased that there is sufficient interest from companies, both with and without the scheme, to fill the Bergermeer gas storage facility. We will closely monitor the progress of this in the coming period.”