FRANKFURT (Dow Jones)--Germany's electricity grid regulator, the Bundesnetzagentur, Wednesday said delays in approval procedures for investment in power transmission networks could result in supply bottlenecks and rising power prices.
"In light of such delays (in approving investment in transmission grids) medium-term bottlenecks in certain regions of Germany cannot be ruled out," Bundesnetzagentur President Matthias Kurth said in a written statement.
The bottlenecks could seriously hamper the wholesale trade of electricity, resulting in incalculable effects on power prices, the regulator said.
The Bundesnetzagentur added that it sees considerable need for investment to maintain and expand Germany's transmission grids in light of an increasing network capacity utilization. Rising wind power generation and an increase of power transits are primarily causing the higher capacity utilization, the regulator said.