Fewer and fewer Berliners are having their electricity turned off. This emerges from a response from the Senate Economics Administration to a parliamentary question from the Left, which was submitted to the rbb. Accordingly, there were fewer power cuts in all Berlin districts last year than last year, a total of almost 5,600.
In Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf, for example, the electricity was switched off 730 times in 2022, and only 399 times in the following year. That is almost 1,000 fewer power cuts than in 2014. This downward trend can be seen throughout Berlin.
“The energy market has now calmed down somewhat,” said the economic administration in its response to the parliamentary question. Although some prices are still higher than before the start of the Russian war of aggression on Ukraine, there is a downward trend. According to the economic administration, the Senate wants to continue its support for energy consultations and has extended the energy debt hardship fund. This primarily supports households that do not already receive social benefits but are unable to pay their energy costs due to low income.
The left-wing faction sees a mixture of measures behind the decline in power cuts: such as the hardship funds launched by the red-green-red government and the expansion of energy debt advice. But also pandemic-related blocking moratoriums and changes to the legal basis, such as the obligation to offer installment payments. In total, more than 4,000 such agreements were concluded between customers and suppliers last year.
From the left’s perspective, a general ban on electricity and gas cuts must be introduced. They are also demanding that the actual amount of energy costs for those receiving social benefits be covered, as the standard rate for household electricity is not sufficient, said a spokesman when asked by rbb.
According to the economic administration, the average payment arrears when a blockage is implemented was recently just over 600 euros.
Broadcast: rbb24 Abendschau, February 8, 2024, 7:30 p.m