Germany Approves Energy Law Critics Say Will Raise Power Prices.

German lawmakers have approved legislation to increase investment in the country's power and natural gas grids, which could lead to higher electricity bills for consumers. The measure gives the regulator, BNetzA, more authority to increase the rate of return for companies investing in grid upgrades. This move is seen as necessary to account for the rising cost of capital and debt in recent years and to attract the necessary capital for Germany's transition to renewable energy. However, critics argue that this could result in high costs for grid users and raise concerns about the agency's powers. The energy package also includes provisions to integrate more renewable power into the network and promote the use of hydrogen. [Extracted from the article]