He told the Frankfurter Rundschau, “We will have phases where the gas and electricity prices can and will sink.” But he said consumers should not expect a long-term reduction in bills, which will basically go up. “In curves, of course, up and down,” he said.

He made no secret that the company makes a big profit. “We are not crying poverty, that’s right. We are doing well,” he said.

Großsmann at RWE said in his interview he was fundamentally opposed to the idea of special tariffs for the worst off. He said services should be sold at their market value, “be that bread, sausages or electricity.”

Helping those in financial difficulties was something for which the state was responsible, said.

The centre-left Social Democrats unveiled plans at the weekend to help out families on housing benefits with one-off payments of €150 to counter the effects of soaring oil prices.

Transport Minister Wolfgang Tiefensee told Die Welt, “When the back payments for heating costs are due, people with slimmer wallets should receive a special payment.”