On 3 September 2026 the Initiative Energien Speichern (INES) submitted a formal request to suspend the fees that gas traders pay to transport gas into underground storage facilities. The coalition, which brings together the country's biggest storage owners, Sefe, Uniper, RWE, Trianel, EWE and VNG, argues that a temporary fee waiver would make storage more profitable and help raise fill levels that have been below the multi-year average for several weeks.Handelsblatt reported the proposal on that date.
Why the proposal matters now
Germany's gas-storage system is currently running below the historic average, according to the same Handelsblatt analysis of early-September data. The article did not disclose an exact percentage, but the shortfall is significant enough to trigger concern among operators and regulators. The German Energy Act sets a legal target of 80 % storage fill by 1 November 2026. Falling short of that benchmark could jeopardise supply security as winter demand peaks, a risk that the coalition hopes to mitigate through the fee suspension.
What the fee waiver would entail
The core element of INES's request is the temporary removal of net-charges for gas transport to storage facilities. Under the current regime, gas traders incur a fee each time they inject gas into underground caverns, a cost that is passed on to the end-user. By waiving these charges, INES believes the economic incentive to fill storage will increase, prompting traders to move more gas into the network before the legal deadline.
To offset the revenue loss that network operators would suffer from the waived fees, INES suggests higher charges on other network users. The coalition has not disclosed the exact offset mechanism, but the proposal signals a willingness to rebalance the fee structure rather than simply forgo revenue.
Members of the coalition and their stakes
INES is a newly formed alliance that unites the major underground gas-storage owners in Germany. Sefe, Uniper, RWE, Trianel, EWE and VNG together control the bulk of the country's storage capacity. Their joint proposal underscores the seriousness of the situation: when the largest operators coordinate a regulatory request, it indicates a shared assessment that the current fee regime is a barrier to achieving the 80 % legal target.
Each member brings a different market position. For example, RWE and Uniper operate both generation assets and storage, meaning that higher storage levels can smooth their supply portfolios. EWE, a regional utility, relies on storage to guarantee local supply during peak winter periods. By presenting a united front, the coalition hopes to persuade the Federal Network Agency and the Ministry for Economic Affairs to act swiftly.
Regulatory context and precedent
The German Energy Act, which codifies the 80 % storage target, also empowers the regulator to adjust network fees in response to market conditions. Historically, fee adjustments have been used to encourage investment in pipeline infrastructure, but a direct suspension of transport fees to storage is unprecedented. If approved, the measure would become a new policy lever, demonstrating that fee structures can be flexibly deployed to address short-term security concerns.
Handelsblatt notes that the proposal was agreed upon by INES members on 30 August 2026, a week before the public filing. The timing suggests that the coalition moved quickly after observing the persistent low fill levels, aiming to give regulators enough lead time before the November deadline.
Potential impact on network operators
Network operators stand to lose revenue from the waived fees, a loss that INES proposes to offset by increasing charges on other users. The exact magnitude of the loss is not quantified in the source material, but the suggestion indicates that operators would need to recalibrate their tariff structures. A higher charge on non-storage transport could shift cost burdens onto shippers and industrial consumers, potentially affecting gas prices downstream.
Should the regulator accept the proposal, the short-term revenue dip for operators might be outweighed by the broader benefit of averting a winter supply shortfall. A more fully stocked storage system can act as a buffer, reducing the need for emergency imports or price spikes during periods of high demand.
What comes next
The next step is a review by the Federal Network Agency, which will assess the economic and security implications of the fee waiver. The agency's decision is expected before the end of October, giving the coalition a narrow window to influence the regulatory outcome before the 1 November legal deadline.
If the waiver is granted, the industry will monitor fill levels closely to gauge whether the incentive translates into higher storage volumes. Conversely, a rejection would force operators to explore alternative measures, such as negotiating voluntary fee reductions with traders or seeking additional imports to meet the 80 % target.
In any case, the proposal marks a notable shift in how Germany's gas-storage policy may be shaped ahead of the winter season, highlighting the interplay between regulatory tools, market incentives and energy security.