The AgNeS Network Tariff Reform: New Power Pricing from 2029
The AgNeS network tariff reform restructures German power network charges from 1 January 2029. AgNeS stands for Allgemeine Netzentgeltsystematik Strom and replaces the StromNEV, which expires on 31 December 2028. The reform is being developed in the determination procedure of the Grosse Beschlusskammer Energie under the reference GBK-25-01-1#3. It concerns a cost block of around 37 billion euro per year. This article explains what AgNeS is and why the reform is coming, who pays for the grid in future, which reform building blocks are planned, how AgNeS is distinguished from Section 14a EnWG and tariffs, what risks exist and what companies should do now. Many figures are proposals and interim positions in an ongoing procedure, not final.
The AgNeS network tariff reform is the fundamental redesign of German power network charges, taking effect from 1 January 2029. The Allgemeine Netzentgeltsystematik Strom replaces the StromNEV, which expires on 31 December 2028, and is developed in the determination procedure of the Grosse Beschlusskammer Energie under the reference GBK-25-01-1#3, not by Ruling Chamber 8. The trigger is the ruling of the Court of Justice of the European Union C-718/18 of 2 September 2021, since when the Bundesnetzagentur sets the network charges by determination in its own competence. It concerns a cost block of around 37 billion euro per year, which makes up roughly 30 percent of a household power bill. The most important structural change is cost allocation by net grid consumption rather than by the volume of electricity transported. For the first time, generators, storage and electrolysers are also to contribute to network costs, for example through a capacity price, with a feed-in charge of 4 to 7 euro per kW and year under discussion as a proposal. For households it stays at a grid price and an energy price, a higher grid price for prosumers is under discussion and contested in its level, for large consumers a capacity price is added, and a dynamic component is envisaged in stages from around 2030. All figures are interim positions, not final. AgNeS is to be distinguished from Section 14a EnWG, which governs discounts for controllable consumers, and from the end-customer tariffs. The reform redistributes burdens and is contested, several associations such as VKU, BDEW, BDI and BEE reject core points, the ongoing process creates planning uncertainty, and capacity prices and the new allocation require an IT and billing adaptation. Whoever uses the consultation in summer 2026, calculates their own exposure, checks the legacy and exemption rules and prepares IT and billing keeps the transition manageable.
What AgNeS is and why the reform is coming
AgNeS fundamentally restructures German power network charges. The Allgemeine Netzentgeltsystematik Strom replaces the expiring StromNEV from 1 January 2029. The background is the ruling of the Court of Justice of the European Union C-718/18, since when the Bundesnetzagentur sets the network charges in its own competence. The responsible body is the Grosse Beschlusskammer Energie under the reference GBK-25-01-1#3, not Ruling Chamber 8.
Behind the reform stands a clear legal trigger. Since the ruling of the Court of Justice of the European Union C-718/18 of 2 September 2021, the Bundesnetzagentur sets the network charges by determination in its own competence, rather than through an ordinance of the federal government. For that reason the StromNEV power network charges ordinance expires on 31 December 2028 and is replaced by AgNeS. The determination procedure is run by the Grosse Beschlusskammer Energie under the reference GBK-25-01-1#3, and proceedings were opened on 12 May 2025. In substance the reform addresses three points: the uneven regional distribution of network charges, the growing need for flexibility in the grid and the so far missing cost-reflective contribution from feeders. It is important that many of the figures cited are still proposals and interim positions in the ongoing procedure and are not yet final.
Who pays for the grid in future
The biggest break lies in who bears the network costs. So far it is mainly consumers who pay, in future generators, storage and electrolysers are also to contribute. In addition, cost allocation is reorganised around net grid consumption. The exact figures are proposals in the ongoing procedure.
In detail, AgNeS shifts the distribution of network costs on two levels. First, who pays at all changes: so far it is mainly households and large consumers who bear the network charges, from 2029 generators and feeders, storage and electrolysers are for the first time also to make a contribution, for example through a capacity price. Under discussion is a feed-in charge in the order of 4 to 7 euro per kW and year, with a contribution potential of up to 2 billion euro per year, both of which are proposals and not final. Second, the logic of cost allocation between grid operators changes: in future the costs are allocated by net grid consumption rather than by the volume of electricity transported. This means the distribution follows more closely the actual draw from the respective grid, which is intended to rebalance the regional burden. Here too, the concrete design is still open in the procedure.
The main reform building blocks
The reform rebuilds the price components. For households it stays at a grid price and an energy price, for large consumers a capacity price is added, for feeders a new charge. All figures are interim positions in the ongoing procedure, not final.
In concrete terms, AgNeS works on several price components, all as interim positions. For households it stays at its core with a grid price and an energy price, although a higher grid price for prosumers is under discussion, with its level contested. For large consumers a capacity price per kW plus an energy price is envisaged, with a surcharge if the agreed booked capacity is exceeded. For generators, storage and electrolysers a limited capacity price is under discussion, flanked by legacy protection of up to 20 years for existing facilities. On top of this comes a dynamic network charge component, whose staged introduction is envisaged from around 2030. These building blocks show the direction of the reform, but their exact design and the figures are only fixed with the follow-up determinations and are proposals until then.
AgNeS, Section 14a and tariffs: the distinction
The topics are easily mixed up but sit on different levels. AgNeS governs the system of network charges, Section 14a the discounts for controllable consumers, tariff models the end-customer tariffs. Whoever separates them plans the projects correctly.
For practice this means: AgNeS governs the overarching system of power network charges from 2029, that is how the network costs are structured, allocated and distributed across the contributors. Section 14a EnWG, by contrast, governs reduced network charges for controllable consumption devices and is therefore a discount rule on the end-customer side, which is explored in the innobu article on the control box and Section 14a . The end-customer tariffs in turn, such as dynamic tariffs in the controllable electricity market, are covered by the innobu article on tariff models 2026 . AgNeS is the regulation of the network charges themselves, not the end-customer tariff. The shared legal trigger with the GasNZV replacement is the ruling of the Court of Justice of the European Union C-718/18.
Challenges and risks
The reform redistributes burdens and is correspondingly contested. Several associations reject core proposals, and the ongoing process creates planning uncertainty. An honest view has to name this, rather than painting the reform only as an orderly modernisation.
In detail the risks lie on several levels. First, there are winners and losers: prosumers, generators and storage tend to be burdened more, while flexible consumers tend to be relieved. Second, the association criticism is broad. VKU, BDEW, BDI and BEE reject core points, above all the feed-in charges, because they see additional investment risks for renewable facilities and storage, even if the envisaged legacy protection is partly acknowledged as confidence protection. Third, the ongoing procedure creates planning and investment uncertainty as long as figures and design are interim positions. Fourth, a concrete IT and billing adaptation is added, because capacity prices, the booked capacity and the new allocation have to be represented in the systems. A balanced view therefore recognises both the goal of a more cost-reflective distribution and the real burdens and open points.
Watch planning certainty and exposure: Many AgNeS figures are proposals and interim positions, not final. Whoever bases investments or tariffs firmly on specific feed-in charges or capacity prices risks false assumptions. Generators, storage operators and prosumers in particular should follow the ongoing consultation and the legacy and exemption rules closely before fixing assumptions.
At heart AgNeS is a distributional reform with winners and losers, not a purely technical modernisation. The burden on prosumers, generators and storage, the broad association criticism from VKU, BDEW, BDI and BEE, the planning uncertainty in the ongoing procedure and the necessary IT adaptation belong honestly on the table. Whoever sees both, the goal of a more cost-reflective distribution and the real burdens, places AgNeS correctly and can help shape the open design.
What companies should do now
AgNeS is a regulatory and strategy task with a hard deadline in 2029. Whoever now calculates their own exposure and submits a position helps shape the open design. This turns an abstract reform into a concrete plan.
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Use the formal consultation in summer 2026
Make active use of the formal consultation in summer 2026 and submit a position through the associations. As long as many figures are interim positions, the design can still be influenced, for example on feed-in charges, legacy protection and the dynamic component. Whoever argues early and on the basis of facts helps shape the later determination.
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Quantify your own exposure
Calculate your own load and generation profiles against the discussed models. Only once the capacity price, the booked capacity and the new allocation are applied to your own profiles does it become visible whether the company tends to be burdened or relieved. This calculation is the basis for every position and every investment decision.
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Check the legacy and exemption rules
Check the legacy and exemption rules for storage, electrolysis and generation. The envisaged legacy protection of up to 20 years and possible exemptions co-determine how strongly existing facilities are affected by the new charges. Whoever knows the rules early avoids false assumptions in ongoing and planned projects.
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Prepare IT and billing
Prepare IT and billing for the capacity price, the booked capacity and the new allocation. The change to the network charge systematics feeds directly into the billing systems, because new price components and a changed allocation logic have to be represented. Whoever plans the adaptation early avoids time pressure at the 2029 deadline.
Further reading
Frequently asked questions
AgNeS stands for Allgemeine Netzentgeltsystematik Strom. It is the determination procedure of the Bundesnetzagentur that fundamentally restructures the system of German power network charges from 1 January 2029. AgNeS replaces the StromNEV power network charges ordinance, which expires on 31 December 2028. The responsible body is the Grosse Beschlusskammer Energie under the reference GBK-25-01-1#3. It concerns a cost block of around 37 billion euro per year. Many building blocks are still proposals in an ongoing procedure, not final.
AgNeS is intended to take effect from 1 January 2029. On that date the new system replaces the StromNEV, which expires on 31 December 2028. The procedure has been running since the opening of proceedings on 12 May 2025, with key points and orientation papers, a formal consultation in summer 2026, a planned framework determination at the end of 2026 and follow-up determinations in 2027. Until the final determination many figures are interim positions, not final.
The most important structural change is that cost allocation in future follows net grid consumption rather than the volume of electricity transported. For the first time, generators, storage and electrolysers are also to contribute to network costs, for example through a capacity price. Under discussion is a feed-in charge in the order of 4 to 7 euro per kW and year, which is a proposal and not final. So far it is mainly households and large consumers who pay for the grid.
AgNeS governs the overarching system of power network charges from 2029, that is how network costs are structured, allocated and distributed across the contributors. Section 14a EnWG, by contrast, governs reduced network charges for controllable consumption devices such as heat pumps and wallboxes. Tariff models in turn concern the end-customer tariffs in the controllable electricity market. AgNeS is the regulation of the network charges themselves, not the end-customer tariff. The shared legal trigger with the GasNZV replacement is the CJEU ruling C-718/18.
AgNeS is a regulatory and strategy task with a hard deadline in 2029. Companies should make active use of the formal consultation in summer 2026 and submit positions through the associations, calculate their own load and generation profiles against the discussed models, check the legacy and exemption rules for storage, electrolysis and generation, and prepare IT and billing for the capacity price, the booked capacity and the new allocation. Because many figures are interim positions, it pays to calculate early and help shape the design.