Electricity contract · KNOWLEDGE GUIDE
Quarter-hour, variable or fixed pricing – which electricity contract suits your home?
Start from how you use electricity and how much price risk you want to take. Here you get a basis for comparing the models on the same terms.
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN ONE MINUTE
- Quarter-hour pricing links your electricity supply cost to when you consume electricity.
- Monthly price is variable between months, but works differently within the day.
- Fast pris kan göra energipriset mer förutsägbart; förbrukningen och andra kostnader varierar ändå.
Start with your home, not yesterday's price
Write down how the home is heated, if you charge the car and what larger loads you can move. A household with flexible charging has different possibilities than a household where the majority of use must take place at fixed times.
Also write down what feels most important: being able to influence individual intervals, not having to follow the price or getting a more predictable energy price. It is a basis for decision-making, not a competition about who can guess next winter best.
Source material: Energy Market Agency: review your electricity contract ↗
Quarter-hour pricing: timing matters
With quarter-hour pricing, consumption in each 15-minute interval is linked to that interval’s price, together with the other components of your contract. Shifting some consumption can therefore change your electricity supply cost. Consumption during expensive intervals can also make the contract more costly.
Assess how much you can actually move without making everyday life more difficult. Take into account comfort, the car's departure time and the limitations of the steering. If you have an impact fee, it needs to be factored in together with the spot price.
Source material: Ei: electricity contracts with quarter-hour pricing ↗ · Ei: could quarter-hour pricing suit you? ↗
Monthly price: variable in a different way
With a monthly variable contract, you get a price for the month according to the model of the contract. Ei describes the monthly price as volume-weighted based on the customer group's purchases. It is therefore not the same as having your own electricity priced quarter by quarter.
Moving the dishwasher from an expensive to a cheaper 15-minute interval therefore does not have the same direct effect on the electricity supply price as with quarter-hour pricing. Using less electricity still reduces the amount you pay for, and a network tariff may also depend on simultaneous demand.
Source material: Ei: electricity contracts with quarter-hour pricing ↗
Fixed price and mix: read what is determined
A fixed price locks the energy price for the agreed period. It does not lock in how many kWh the home uses or any other costs. A cold month can result in a higher bill even when the price per kWh is unchanged.
A mix agreement can combine several pricing models. Ask to know how each part is calculated and which volumes or shares are covered. Compare the terms to a full period, not just a quarter that happened to be cheap.
Source material: Energy Market Agency: review your electricity contract ↗ · Energy Market Agency: the electricity bill ↗
Make a reviewable comparison
Retrieve a representative usage period. Compare the same consumption, area and VAT base as well as all fixed and variable charges. A historical comparison shows what would have happened during that period, not what will happen next year.
Check the start date, binding and cancellation period and what happens after a discount. If a calculation requires you to move usage, ask for both an unchanged scenario and a scenario with the assumed control.
- Same kWh and time period in each option.
- Same VAT basis and all fees.
- Clear discrepancy between actual history and assumed change.
Source material: Ei: electricity trading agreement ↗ · Ei: switching and breaking fees ↗
What would a move of the electricity mean?
Test how a certain number of kWh is affected by two different prices.
Immerse Yourself
FAQ.
Is quarter-hour pricing always cheapest?
Nope. Your usage pattern, fees and ability to control matter. No form of contract guarantees the lowest cost in all future periods.
Can I get a high fixed price bill?
Yes. The cost also depends on how much electricity you use and on grid, taxes and other charges. A fixed energy price does not lock in the entire bill.
FROM KNOWLEDGE TO EVERYDAY
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Sources and further reading.
The material was checked on 26 October 2026. Follow the links for current terms and conditions.