From 1 October 2015 the energy market in Luxembourg will change; on Thursday, the Energy Service of the Luxembourg Institute of Regulation (ILR) announced pricing changes that will come into effect in 3 months' time.
In October the Belgian and Luxembourg natural gas markets will merge into a new integrated market area labelled BELUX which will require changes in pricing. The ILR has called on large industrial consumers to thoroughly check the price of natural gas.
Until now, suppliers have had to contact a supplier from the Belgian and German gas markets and to deliver their fresh gas to the consumer in Luxembourg. This will soon change as transport costs will be fully transferred to the network output rates, i.e. in network usage rates that must be paid at every exit point across the Luxembourg network.
The costs will no longer be included in the energy price, i.e. the price of natural gas charged by a provider, but in the output rate of the network to the point where the gas is delivered. This output rate will be a regulated tariff, verified and approved by the ILR. Applied by the network operator, the exit fee will be charged for each point of delivery, or through the supplier or directly by the network manager.
Therefore, consumers must be cautious and ensure that natural gas supply contracts reflect the new situation on 1 October 2015. In case of query, consumers are urged to contact their provider to request a clear separation between natural gas costs and charges for delivery and to seek price offers from several different suppliers.
