Electric cars became a problem – A new “tax” threatens

The so-called energy revolution puts the payer of a regular electricity bill on the back burner.

When the energy system became windy and the price of electricity started pumping from zero to one hundred, we switched from a fixed electricity contract to exchange electricity and tried to direct electricity consumption to cheap hours.

Flexibility was really encouraged by the grid company. When electricity is available, it should be used. This is how many have acted and also acquired automatic aids that optimize consumption according to the spot price.

Now this is becoming punishable. Electricity bill payers are threatened by a new “tax”: power charge. The fact that power spikes have become a problem for electricity distribution companies leads to a confusing situation.

The fee is part of the transfer fee, but the dispute arises over how to include it in it.

Understanding towards my electricity transmission company is being tested. My bill says: The electricity distribution fee is based on consumption. Well, my consumption is down, but the price is up. I pay more for less.

Our electricity consumption is relatively moderate. We rarely take saunas. We don’t own an electric car.

There is a threat of a power tariff coming soon. I asked the electricity transmission company what this is all about.

I was told that there are a lot of electric cars in my hometown Espoo. When a family buys an electric car and charges it at home, there are spikes in consumption and the peak power even doubles. With the increase in electric cars, this means that the transmission capacity of the cable should be double what it was before.

In the example residential area, electricity consumption has dropped, but 85 houses had 20 electric cars, and the power requirement has increased by more than a fifth. If the transfer doesn’t keep up, there will be power outages.

The tariff would have to be quite large, so that the Electric Car Driver would not charge his car during zero-price hours, but, for example, at 15–20 cents during the second day.

But we don’t have an electric car and we have no plans to get one. Others in the housing association have them. The model seems to have been built with single family residents in mind. Building societies are viewed from this point of view when it comes to the energy fee.

The apartments have their own electricity bill and transfer fee, but the network company’s connection is that of the building company. The power fee is calculated from the peak of the subscription, not from the apartment-specific peaks. The energy payment goes to the housing association, which distributes it forward in return or in another way.

When I checked that I understood correctly, the principle that the causer pays would not work in housing associations, but everything pays. Everything costs, was the answer.

Something essential seems to have been forgotten in electrification. And we all have to pay.