Sept. 13 (Bloomberg) -- German legislation regulating the use of electricity and gas networks will be delayed because of differences between the government and the opposition, Die Welt reported, citing the Green party's spokeswoman for energy policy.

The legislation would set up an authority to oversee prices that utilities charge competitors to use their gas and power networks, and was originally planned to come into effect in July.

Spokeswoman Michaele Hustedt of the Greens, one of Germany's governing parties, told the paper the proposal will now be discussed for at least another nine months.

The upper house of parliament, the Bundesrat, is bound to reject the bill on September 24, after which time the lower house, the Bundestag, will start to discuss it, Welt cited Hustedt as saying. An arbitration committee can start to debate the bill early next year, Hustedt said in the paper.

(Die Welt 9-13 11)

To contact the reporter on this story: Peter Dinkloh in Frankfurt at pdinkloh@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: September 13, 2004 03:04 EDT