Your electricity cost · KNOWLEDGE GUIDE
Understand your electricity bill - what are you really paying for?
Read the invoice line by line. Separate electricity trade, electricity network and taxes and find the right basis when the cost changes.
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN ONE MINUTE
- You pay both for the electricity you buy and for the transmission to your home.
- You can get one or two invoices, but the cost types still need to be separated.
- Check period, kWh, price and charges before comparing two months.
One invoice or two - same breakdown
Usually you get a bill for the electricity trade and one for the grid. In some cases, they are collected on one invoice. A consolidated bill does not mean that the roles or cost shares have become the same.
Start by marking which part applies to the purchased electricity and which applies to the network. Then add taxes and VAT to your overview. Then you can follow a price change to the right cost type.
Source material: Energy Market Agency: the electricity bill ↗ · Ei: questions for you as an electricity consumer ↗
Find period and quantity first
Compare the delivery period, not just the payment date. Check how many kWh are billed and whether the period corresponds to a whole month. Equally large amounts can otherwise hide different amounts of use.
A separate calculation example: 500 kWh at SEK 1.20/kWh becomes SEK 600 for that part. If you add a hypothetical fixed electricity trading fee of SEK 39, the total becomes SEK 639. Mains and energy tax remain in the example.
Source material: Energy Market Agency: the electricity bill ↗
Read electricity trade price components
Vilket pris som används beror på ditt avtal. Med kvartspris påverkar tidpunkterna för användningen; med månadspris används avtalets månadsmodell. Fasta avgifter och andra avtalade komponenter måste också ingå.
If the invoice average is not similar to the price you saw in an app: check if the graph showed spot price, if VAT was included, and if it was a simple average or your consumption weighted price. Ask the electrical dealer to show you the calculation method.
Source material: Ei: electricity contracts with quarter-hour pricing ↗ · Energy Market Agency: the electricity bill ↗
Keep nets and treasures visible
The network cost can have several parts. There can be both a fixed subscription fee and variable parts, and some companies use an impact fee. Read your own price list instead of assuming the neighbor has the same model.
Pay attention to whether amounts are given before or after VAT. Avoid adding VAT one more time to a price where it is already included. A comparison needs the same VAT basis on all lines for the summation to be comprehensible.
Source material: Energy Market Agency: the electricity grid agreement ↗ · Energy Market Agency: the electricity bill ↗
When the count looks wrong
Make a short note with the invoice number, delivery period, the line you are wondering about and what you yourself expected. Ask for measurement data and calculation. Send contract questions to the electricity retailer and questions about network tariffs or network metering to the network company.
If you compare months: divide the change in quantity, energy price and other charges. A warmer month may have less usage even if the price is higher. It will be more fair than just comparing the last line of the invoice.
Source material: Energy Market Agency: the electricity grid agreement ↗ · Ei: questions for you as an electricity consumer ↗
Build a simple electricity trading example.
Change usage, price and fixed fee to see which parts affect the total.
Immerse Yourself
FAQ.
Why am I getting two utility bills?
They usually refer to different agreements: one for purchased electricity and one for grid transmission. Some companies may collect them, but the parts should still be clear.
Why will the price be different from today's spot price?
The invoice applies to a delivery period and your contract model. Your usage, VAT and other price components may cause the average to differ from an individual price quote.
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Sources and further reading.
The material was checked on 26 October 2026. Follow the links for current terms and conditions.