Dynamic tariff — understand your electricity bill

What is a dynamic tariff?

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With a dynamic pla, your price is based directly on current stock market electricity prices, meaning the labor price is not permanently fixed.

• If stock market prices are low, you pay less.
• If stock market prices rise, your electricity price may be correspondingly higher.

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In this way, you can benefit from favorable market phases, but you must also expect price fluctuations. For many customers, this is an opportunity to consciously manage their consumption and optimize costs.

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What billing methods are there for a dynamic tariff?

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In a dynamic electricity tariff, there are two ways in which your consumption can be billed: based on real values or on the basis of profiles.

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1. Billing based on real values (smart meter):

Here, your actual power consumption is measured by the hour. This means that you pay exactly the price that applies at the time when you actually use the electricity.

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instance: If electricity is cheap at night and you then consume a lot, you benefit directly from it.

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2. Billing on profiles (standard load profile):

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If there is no intelligent meter (smart meter), your consumption is not measured exactly, but estimated. This is done using typical consumption patterns (e.g. more consumption in the morning and evening).

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That means: Your consumption is calculated over the hours — regardless of when you actually used electricity.

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In short:

• With real values, you pay for exactly what you actually use and when.
• Profiles only estimate your consumption — meaning you can't fully take advantage of the benefits of a dynamic tariff.

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You can easily check for yourself whether you are billed according to real consumption figures or according to a profile:

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1. Look at your meter:

• If you have a smart meter (intelligent electricity meter) that shows your consumption digitally and usually with a display → then the billing is usually based on real values (accurate to the hour).
• If you still have a classic meter (without digital evaluation) → then you will be billed based on a profile.

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2. In your contract documents/portal:
It often says whether an “intelligent measurement system” or “smart meter” is being used.

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3. Check with the network operator:
Your network operator can tell you exactly what type of meter you have installed and how your consumption is recorded.

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In short:
Smart meter = real values
No smart meter = profile billing

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What do I see on my electricity bill with a dynamic tariff?

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Your electricity bill shows you how your amount is made up.

There are three areas:

• your electricity consumption
• the respective periods
• all important costs (e.g. labor price, network charges and taxes)

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How is my consumption calculated?

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Your electricity consumption is recorded by your meter.

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In the invoice, you will see, among other things:

• your meter number
• The initial meter reading in kWh
• The final meter reading in kWh
• the period
• the factor (e.g. factor 1 = your measured consumption is adopted 1:1)
• your consumption in kWh

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Why is my consumption divided over many periods of time?

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With a dynamic tariff, the electricity price changes regularly. That is why your consumption is divided into several periods of time. In this way, every period can be calculated with the appropriate price.

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What does the information in “Costs for your energy consumption” mean?

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• ”Work price“: The labor price is the price per kWh of electricity. With a dynamic tariff, the following applies: The price is based on the market, meaning it can change regularly. So you don't always pay the same price per kWh.

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• ”Service fee“: The service fee is a fee for services related to your electricity contract, i.e. anything that goes beyond the pure supply of electricity. Depending on the provider, this includes billing and contract management and customer service.

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• ”Base price“: The basic price covers fixed costs of the electricity supplier, e.g. for billing, distribution and contract provision.
  Costs for meter/metering point operation are usually not included here, but are shown separately.

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• ”concession fee“: The concession fee is a fee that network operators may pay to cities and municipalities in order to use public roads for power lines.

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• ”CHP surcharge“: The CHP surcharge finances the funding of plants that generate electricity and heat particularly efficiently at the same time.

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• ”Network surcharge §19 StromNEV“: This levy distributes the costs of reduced grid charges for energy-intensive companies to all electricity consumers.

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• ”NNE-AP“: This is the fixed proportion of network usage charges, regardless of consumption.

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• ”NNE measuring point operation“: The NNE metering point operator covers the costs of operating, maintaining and reading your electricity meter by the responsible metering point operator.

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• ”Offshore levy“: The offshore levy is used to finance the expansion and operation of offshore wind farms.

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• ”electricity tax“: The electricity tax is a government duty that is levied on every kilowatt hour of electricity consumed.

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