Dynamic tariffs in electricity bills. Big change since August

• From August, Poles will be able to choose whether to pay for electricity according to a fixed or dynamic tariff
• Electricity prices in the dynamic tariff will be based on current prices on the Polish Energy Exchange in Warsaw
• The changes are expected to take effect in just a few months, but the main work needed to implement them is not yet complete
• We ask electricity vendors how business is going and what customers can expect

Definitions of dynamic electricity It must be accessible to families Since August this year. In such a system The price of 1 kilowatt hour of electricity It may be different at different times of the day. It will change every 15 minutes. The introduction of a new electricity bill settlement system aims to enable private sector customers to benefit from fluctuating electricity prices.

We are now used to constants Electricity tariffs. At the end of the year, electricity vendors informed the Office of Energy Regulation (URE) of the price list for 1 kWh of electricity for individual customer groups. After the approval of the head of the Energy Regulatory Bureau, the same tariff was applied for the following year. On any given day, at any time, the same amount of electricity costs the same amount.

Although private customers did not feel it, the actual price of a kilowatt-hour of energy on the market was – and still is – constantly changing. The companies that supply us with electricity buy it at very different prices, not only throughout the year, but even on the same day. It all depends on the current energy production and consumption. Therefore, a kilowatt hour of electricity may be cheaper or more expensive than what is included in the fixed tariff. If we switch to a dynamic tariff, our bill will depend on the current energy price on the exchange, and not on the fixed tariff proposed by a particular seller.

It is worth remembering that in The total price of electricity will still include other fixed charges – taxes or different types of fees, Which is legally charged to the account.

Due to the recent energy crisis, it may seem that fluctuating electricity prices are something to be avoided. But this is not necessarily true. For example, the current rates for 1 kWh, approved by the head of the Office of Energy Regulation, are approx. Net 0.74 PLN. Thanks to the price freeze, the maximum price we are billed at is approx. Net 0.41 PLN To the extent of consumption to which it applies Freeze prices Or almost. Net PLN 0.69 Above this limit. Meanwhile, the price on the Polish Energy Exchange is approx. 31 Grozy (according to the underlying index in the next day's market). If dynamic tariffs were in effect now, we would pay less for 1 kWh of electricity than under a fixed tariff.

Of course, like everything on the stock exchange, Energy prices can fluctuate widely. This is what happened during the peak of the energy crisis, when prices jumped significantly compared to the pre-crisis period. But the price of electricity can vary significantly even during the same month or day and without such major events. For example, if a large amount of energy is produced at a given moment, but there is less demand for it, its prices may fall. The opposite is true – when there are many system failures and high demand, energy prices are likely to increase.

Energy demand is usually subject to certain fixed regularities. For example, it is usually smaller – nationally – at night or during holidays. However, it increases in the summer and during peak hours when most offices, factories and service points are open. Energy is usually cheaper at such times.

Providing dynamic tariffs to households aims, on the one hand, to enable them to take advantage of market conditions and thus reduce prices at certain times. On the other hand, it may cause us to use energy when it is more readily available and give it up when the load is high. networks. For example, when doing laundry, dishwashing, or charging an electric car, we will choose late evening instead of 12 noon.

So this is not a solution for everyone, Because not everyone has the flexibility to use energy at different times of the day. You will also need to be familiar with how the new system works. – Customers who want to use dynamic tariffs must have knowledge about how energy prices change on the market – emphasizes the press office of Tauron Polska Energia in a comment sent to Interia – this will allow them to evaluate Opportunities and risks related to the application of these definitions.

– It is currently difficult to estimate how many customers, especially families, would be interested in dynamic tariffs. However, we note the interest of commercial customers in the current offer, in which energy prices are set taking into account consumption and prices from TGE at specific hours. The model of this offer is very similar to dynamic tariffs, says Perenica Ratajczak, a spokeswoman for Enea.

– From the perspective of the market model and the supply itself, The system takes time to mature. Only then will conscious customers be able to use comprehensive solutions that meet their needs and that go beyond selling electricity at a dynamic price – emphasizes Piotr Bonicki, Head of Mass Market at E.ON Polska Group. – Observing how consumers in other countries adapt to dynamic tariffs, we can expect a similar adaptation process in Poland. The effective use of dynamic price offers requires greater consumer awareness and practical changes in their behavior. Sometimes you need to invest in additional tools or hardware To manage energy consumption – emphasizes Bonnicki.

Although the nature of the solution means that it is not for everyone, as electricity suppliers warn, everyone will be able to use it, regardless of the contract they have in place so far. From August, every electricity vendor serving more than 200,000 customers will have to offer the option to switch to dynamic tariffs. Every customer who concludes an electricity contract with this company will be able to benefit from the dynamic tariff. It should be noted that we will have the right to choose – we will decide which tariff to choose. You will not need to switch to the dynamic tariff.

However, for the use of dynamic definitions to be logical and easily possible, an appropriate system is needed. This is where the stairs begin. Firstly A remote reading meter is needed for this purpose. The idea is that the electricity vendor can check how much electricity we have used on an ongoing basis. This is a necessary condition – without it you simply cannot switch to the dynamic tariff.

Except for this The process of replacing meters with digital ones In Poland the matter is progressing very slowly. For example Ennis At the end of 2023, just over 458,000 devices had been installed. Remote reading meters, which is approx. 16.4 percent clients In the company's work area. Torun At the end of 2023, 1.14 million remote reading meters were installed – this corresponds 19 Brook. Company clients. Another million are scheduled to be installed by the end of 2025. It operates in Warsaw Standing 200,000 meters have already been installed – that's it 18 percent. PGE At the end of the third quarter of 2023, approx. 12,6 Proc. Counters. Energa is the quickest, having already installed these meters in nearly three-quarters of its customers. The process of replacing remote reading meters throughout Poland has not yet been completed In 2031.

In addition, electricity sellers point out that full use of the possibilities of dynamic tariffs will be possible only after the launch of CSIRE (Central Information System for the Energy Market). Thanks to this system, you will easily be able to monitor current changes in energy prices and thus adjust your consumption. But CSIRE is scheduled to start operating only from July 2025. In addition to the fact that many customers do not yet have remote reading meters, the switch to the dynamic tariff in the first period will only be available to some customers.

Martina Maciewicz