{"id":398,"date":"2026-11-10T07:36:34","date_gmt":"2026-11-10T07:36:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/siplingo.com\/blog\/?p=398"},"modified":"2026-11-10T07:36:34","modified_gmt":"2026-11-10T07:36:34","slug":"strom-anmelden-electricity-germany","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/siplingo.com\/blog\/strom-anmelden-electricity-germany\/","title":{"rendered":"Strom anmelden: How to Set Up Electricity in Germany When You Move In"},"content":{"rendered":"

Setting up electricity in Germany is simple: on moving-in day you note the meter number and reading, then sign a contract with any supplier. If you do nothing, the local default supplier (Grundversorger<\/em>) supplies you automatically from the first kilowatt-hour, usually at a higher price than its other tariffs. You can leave that default contract with two weeks’ notice.<\/p>\n\n\n

In German this is called Strom anmelden<\/em> (registering electricity). Below: the default supply, the steps in order, the monthly Abschlag<\/em> and the annual bill, current prices, whether night power is cheaper, what happens if you do not pay, and the German phrases and templates you need.<\/p>\n\n\n

This is general information for households in Germany, not financial or legal advice. Austria and Switzerland organise electricity supply differently, so check local rules there.<\/p>\n\n\n

Who supplies electricity by default? Grundversorgung and Ersatzversorgung<\/h2>\n\n\n

In every network area there is a Grundversorger<\/em>: by law (\u00a736 of the Energy Industry Act, EnWG) it is the supplier with the most household customers in that area, and it must supply every household on its published general prices. The Bundesnetzagentur explains that simply switching on a light in a flat without a contract creates a contract with this supplier. Your local network operator (Netzbetreiber<\/em>) can tell you who the Grundversorger is.<\/p>\n\n\n

Contract type<\/th>How you get it<\/th>Notice period<\/th>Price<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Grundversorgung<\/td>automatically when you use power without a contract<\/td>two weeks<\/td>general prices; the Verbraucherzentrale NRW calls them high<\/td><\/tr>
Sondervertrag (any other tariff)<\/td>you sign it actively<\/td>depends on contract; initial terms up to 24 months are possible<\/td>usually cheaper<\/td><\/tr>
Ersatzversorgung<\/td>if your supply cannot be assigned to a contract, e.g. your supplier stops delivering<\/td>ends when a new contract starts, at the latest after three months (\u00a738 EnWG)<\/td>separate published prices<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n

You will not sit in the dark if you forget to register; you just risk paying more.<\/p>\n\n\n

How do I set up electricity in Germany? Step by step<\/h2>\n\n\n
  1. On moving-in day, find the meter<\/strong> (der Stromz\u00e4hler<\/em>). It is usually in the cellar, the stairwell or a cupboard in the flat. Several meters side by side? The one for your flat should carry your flat number; ask the landlord if unsure.<\/li>\n\n
  2. Photograph the meter number and the reading.<\/strong> The Z\u00e4hlernummer<\/em> is printed on the meter (often near a barcode); the Z\u00e4hlerstand<\/em> is the number in kWh. Write the reading into the handover record (\u00dcbergabeprotokoll<\/em>) as well.<\/li>\n\n
  3. Check the meter number twice.<\/strong> The Verbraucherzentrale warns that a wrong number, for example your neighbour’s, can put a contract on the wrong flat while your own flat falls into Grundversorgung.<\/li>\n\n
  4. Choose a supplier.<\/strong> Compare tariffs online or ask the Grundversorger for its cheaper special tariffs. Look at the price per kWh (Arbeitspreis<\/em>), the monthly base fee (Grundpreis<\/em>), the minimum term and any price guarantee.<\/li>\n\n
  5. Sign the contract.<\/strong> You need: name, address, moving-in date, meter number, meter reading, estimated annual consumption and an IBAN for direct debit (SEPA-Lastschrift<\/em>). If you do not have a German account yet, see opening a German bank account<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n
  6. Cancel or move your old contract<\/strong> if you had one at a previous German address. In Grundversorgung the notice is two weeks; with a special contract, the Verbraucherzentrale describes a special termination right with six weeks’ notice when you move, unless the supplier offers to continue the contract at your new address.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n

    Register your address (Anmeldung<\/em>) early anyway, because letters, bills and your bank will use it; what you need for it is in Anmeldung: what to bring<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n

    What is the Abschlag?<\/h2>\n\n\n

    The Abschlag<\/em> (or Abschlagszahlung<\/em>) is a fixed monthly advance payment. The supplier estimates your annual consumption and divides the expected cost into monthly payments. Once a year you receive the Jahresabrechnung<\/em> (annual bill) based on the real meter reading:<\/p>\n\n\n

    Result<\/th>German<\/th>What happens<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
    You used more than estimated<\/td>die Nachzahlung<\/td>you pay the difference; the Abschlag usually goes up<\/td><\/tr>
    You used less<\/td>das Guthaben<\/td>you get money back or it is offset<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n

    If your consumption changes (new fridge, home office, someone moves out), you can ask the supplier to adjust the Abschlag so that the annual bill brings no surprise. Shared lighting in the stairwell (Allgemeinstrom<\/em>) is not on your bill; it appears in the landlord’s statement, see Nebenkostenabrechnung explained<\/a>. If your heating is electric (heat pump or night storage heaters), heating costs may come through your own electricity bill; see heating in Germany<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n

    Is electricity in Germany expensive?<\/h2>\n\n\n

    Yes, compared with most of the EU. According to the BDEW (German Association of Energy and Water Industries), the average household electricity price in 2026 so far is 37.0 cents per kWh for a household using 3,500 kWh a year, base fee included (BDEW price analysis, August 2026). About a third of that is taxes, levies and charges.<\/p>\n\n\n

    Eurostat figures for the second half of 2025 put Germany at 38.69 euros per 100 kWh, the second-highest household price in the EU after Ireland; the EU average was 28.96 euros.<\/p>\n\n\n

    Rough example (our own calculation, not an official figure): 3,500 kWh \u00d7 0.37 euros \u2248 1,295 euros a year, or about 108 euros a month. Your actual price depends on tariff and region.<\/p>\n\n\n

    Is electricity cheaper at night in Germany?<\/h2>\n\n\n

    Not with a normal tariff: you pay the same price per kWh at 3 a.m. and at 3 p.m. Cheaper night power only exists with special arrangements:<\/p>\n\n\n