Tariff decision 2018

The tariff proposal, as submitted by GTS to the ACM on 31 August 2017, is almost completely adopted. The only exception concerns the inflation rate. At the time the tariff proposal was submitted, the realized inflation rate was not yet known. Therefore, an estimate of 1.2% was applied. In the meantime, the Dutch Central Bureau of Statistics (Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek) has set the inflation rate at 1.4%. This percentage has been applied in the tariff decision. Therefore, the all-in tariffs are on average 0.2% higher compared to the tariffs in the tariff proposal.

The all-in tariffs are 4% higher than the whole-year tariffs for 2017. The transport tariffs will increase by 8%, the tariffs for existing connections by 7% and the tariffs for connection points by an average of 4%. The tariffs for balancing will remain the same, whereas the tariffs for quality conversion will decrease by 14%.

The application of the x-factor has, on average, a downward effect on the tariffs, nevertheless, the tariffs will increase. The average increase of the tariffs is primarily caused by the large negative corrections included in the 2017 tariffs, which will expire in 2018. In addition, the 2018 sales are expected to decrease due to, amongst other factors, a change in the booking behavior of shippers (shift from long term to short term). A decrease in sales leads to an increase in tariffs because of the revenue-cap regulation system. Furthermore, interconnection point (IP) Julianadorp has not been included in the tariff decision due to the integration of the BBL interconnector in the TTF market area, including the removal of the IP and redistribution of the tariff.

The implementation of virtual interconnection points (VIPs) is not taken into account in the tariff decision. The ACM is intending to lay down the elements and method of calculation of the prices of standard capacity products on VIPs in the Tariff Code Gas.

The new tariffs will apply from 1 January 2018.

Link to tariff decision 2018.