New cost-based tariffs for low-voltage customers. The reform of the general tariffs in the Federal Republic of Germany

The organisation of the electricity supply in the Federal Republic of Germany is based on the market economy/pluralist principle: more than 900 companies are operating in the electricity supply sector. The author describes how, with the reform of the general tariffs, the electricity price for low-voltage customers is more customer-friendly and allows for an improved allocation of costs. A customer who consumes a regular amount of electricity throughout the year pays considerably less under the new tariff with demand metering than a customer who generates high supply availability costs by setting up short-time high demands. Customers who shift their electricity consumption from day to night when the load is low, will save twofold: under the new tariff the customer will not only pay a lower energy rate but will be exempt from any demand rate for electricity supplies during off-peak periods