The government’s decision to suspend the requirement for power tariffs shows that today’s models are not working as intended. In a new op-ed in Ny Teknik, Ngenic Energi proposes a more effective path forward.

Unfair and difficult-to-interpret models

Power tariffs have long been highlighted as an important tool for managing peak loads in the power grid. At the same time, criticism has grown—from both customers and the industry—that the models are difficult to understand and sometimes produce inaccurate results.

This was recently confirmed when the government decided to suspend the requirement to introduce power charges. According to the government, many models have been complex and have resulted in high costs for households, while at the same time not always providing the right incentives.

In an op-ed in Ny Teknik, Ngenic Energi highlights a key problem: today’s power tariffs treat all customers the same—even though their circumstances vary greatly.

We need to distinguish between passive and active electricity customers.

A customer with smart control can actively help reduce the load on the power grid. Another customer lacks both the technology and the ability to influence their power consumption. Subjecting these customers to the same pricing model risks being both inefficient and unfair.

Proposal: Two Different Power Tariffs 

• A simpler rate plan for inactive customers
• A more dynamic and flexible model for active customers

This would create clearer incentives, greater system benefits—and a more equitable distribution of costs. 

Automation is crucial

An important point in the debate is that flexibility cannot be based on manual behavioral changes. For power-of-use tariffs to work in practice, automated control is required—especially for heating, where the greatest impact can be achieved.

A do-over—but done right 

The fact that the government now wants to develop a new model opens up an opportunity for improvement. But this requires taking into account how people actually use energy—and what tools they have at their disposal. 

The opinion piece in *Ny Teknik* is a contribution to that very discussion: how we move from theory to a functioning system.

Introduce two power tariffs—one for passive electricity customers and one for active ones