Since the beginning of January, the Munich municipal utility (SWM) has been one of the most expensive electricity providers in the country.
Now it comes out: New customers pay significantly less for electricity than existing SWM customers.
Munich – The price shock came right at the beginning of the year: since January 1, existing customers of Stadtwerke München have been paying significantly more for their electricity – an average of 122 percent.
SWM justified the surcharge with historically high market prices.
But new customers suddenly benefit from favorable conditions and even get a 50-euro bonus!
This is
reported
by tz.de.
Electricity prices in Munich: New customers benefit from the new tariff
The energy supplier has simply introduced a new tariff, the M/strom fix.
The energy price there is only 38 cents (instead of 52 cents) per kilowatt hour.
However, an electricity price cap of 40 cents applies to 80 percent of the previous year's consumption.
The total saving is therefore a good 100 euros per year with a consumption of around 2500 kilowatt hours.
The new tariff has a minimum term of twelve months, so it cannot be canceled on a monthly basis.
In return, however, the Stadtwerke guarantee this working price for twelve months.
And why are these special conditions now suddenly possible?
"The public utilities have purchased a certain amount of electricity at favorable market conditions," says a spokeswoman.
The advantage of this is that customers are protected against rising prices for twelve months.
SWM boss promises falling electricity prices in Munich soon
Nevertheless, SWM boss Florian Bieberbach had announced several times, most recently in a press release on November 3rd, that he would lower electricity prices again "as soon as there is room for maneuver due to price developments on the energy market".
There would now be scope to automatically pass on cheap purchases on the energy market to existing customers.
Why isn't this happening?
It was heard from business circles that this could be a sales decision aimed at acquiring new customers.
The Stadtwerke did not want to comment on this statement.
However, the fact that there is currently only one new tariff M/strom fix at SWM could speak for the thesis.
All other tariffs such as M/strom private or M/strom direct no longer exist on the homepage.
Favorable electricity prices for new SWM customers: "Perfidious marketing trick"?
There are actually existing tariffs that are no longer offered, says the spokeswoman.
"The other tariff offers of the SWM are currently being restructured and then promptly displayed again on the homepage." The city council faction FDP/Bavaria party suspects a "perfidious marketing trick".
She has drawn up a list of questions on the subject and is demanding clarification from the public utility company by March 1st.
Among other things, the town hall politicians ask how the low price for new customers is composed exactly.
The aim of the Stadtwerke must be to offer "cheap electricity for all consumers".
Background: The municipal energy supplier reduced the energy price by ten cents back in December.
It will therefore be 52 cents from April.
With this regulation and the federal price cap, a two-person household pays 1187.83 euros per year for 2500 kilowatt hours.
Apparently it's a little cheaper now.
After all, existing customers can also switch to the new tariff.