The average electricity transmission tariff of Latvia’s transmission system operator Augstsprieguma tīkls (AST) will decrease by 10% from the 1st of January, 2026, while household electricity transmission costs will remain unchanged, according to AST’s announcement to the Nasdaq Riga stock exchange.
The Public Utilities Commission (SPRK) has approved AST’s electricity transmission tariffs for the next three years. Tariff changes will differ for each user group.
According to the SPRK board decision published in the official gazette Latvijas Vēstnesis, users whose electrical installations are connected at the 330 kV busbar level will pay a transmission tariff of EUR 0.00139 per kWh and a capacity maintenance tariff of EUR 6.759 per kW per year.
For users connected at the 110 kV line level, the electricity transmission tariff will be EUR 0.00145 per kWh, and the capacity maintenance tariff will be EUR 11.376 per kW per year.
For users connected at the 110 kV busbar level, the electricity transmission tariff will be EUR 0.00198 per kWh, and the capacity maintenance tariff will be EUR 12.959 per kW per year.
For users connected on the 6–20 kV side of a 110/6–20 kV transformer, the transmission tariff will be EUR 0.00251 per kWh, and the capacity maintenance tariff will be EUR 14.183 per kW per year.
The capacity fee for electricity producers and storage operators will be EUR 0.81018 per kW per year.
AST explains that it has managed to maintain stability in electricity transmission tariffs despite challenges
and ambitious development plans. The integration of the Baltic transmission systems into the continental European energy grid, as well as the rapid development of renewable energy resources, has significantly expanded AST’s responsibilities. In addition, given the geopolitical situation, Latvia must continue investing in the physical security and cybersecurity of critical infrastructure.
In the coming years, more than 20 new substations built by developers will be connected to the transmission system, increasing the number of substations by 18%, with AST specialists ensuring regular maintenance of this infrastructure.
AST’s operational costs for the next three years will decrease due to falling electricity prices, compared with the current tariff. However, AST’s capital costs have increased due to new capital return rates approved by SPRK this year.
In the next regulatory period — from 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2028 — SPRK has allowed AST to use EUR 44 million from accumulated congestion management revenues to cover transmission system costs, which is EUR 8 million less than AST requested in its tariff proposal.
AST has managed to maintain tariff stability according to its original tariff plan by continuing internal efficiency improvements and further reducing operational costs, the company notes.
As previously reported,
AST submitted its tariff proposal for the next three years to SPRK in July.
The proposal foresaw that from 1 January 2026 household electricity transmission costs would remain unchanged, while large industrial consumers directly connected to the transmission network would see an average reduction of 9%.
AST CEO Rolands Irklis previously explained that long-term stability of transmission tariffs is one of AST’s priorities because it promotes the electrification of Latvia’s economy and the growth of electricity consumption. He emphasised that AST has succeeded in keeping tariffs stable and even achieving a slight cost reduction.
AST noted that based on the planned tariff volumes, the transmission tariff will result in about a 1% reduction in the cost of transmission services charged by Sadales tīkls, positively affecting consumers’ final electricity bills. The transmission tariff constitutes only a small part of the electricity distribution service price, which in turn, along with the electricity consumption fee and VAT, forms the total electricity bill.
AST Group’s audited turnover last year was EUR 258.607 million, 5.3% more than in 2023, while group profit increased 2.2 times to EUR 22.672 million. Meanwhile, the parent company’s turnover decreased by 2.5% to EUR 154.011 million, but profit increased by 31.6% to EUR 14.764 million.
AST is Latvia’s independent electricity transmission system operator. It is owned by the state. The company’s bonds are listed on the Nasdaq Riga debt securities list.
AST is also the largest shareholder of Conexus Baltic Grid, the unified natural gas transmission and storage operator, owning 68.46% of Conexus shares.
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