You can switch electricity supplier in three steps: choose a tariff, sign the new contract and note your meter reading on the switch date. In most cases the new supplier cancels your old contract for you, and your electricity keeps flowing without interruption either way. If you are currently on basic supply (Grundversorgung), you can switch with two weeks' notice. This guide walks you through the process step by step, explains notice periods, price guarantees and switching bonuses, and shows when a switch pays off for your household.
Key points at a glance
- The new supplier usually handles the cancellation with your old one. All you need is your meter number, meter reading and customer details.
- There is no gap in supply. If the switch does not happen on time, the local basic supplier (Grundversorger) supplies you in the meantime.
- You can leave basic supply with two weeks' notice; a special contract follows the terms of your contract.
- Since June 2025, the technical switch has been completed within 24 hours on every working day. Your notice period stays the same.
- Compare the price in the second year, not just the first-year price including a bonus.
How does switching electricity supplier work?
You sign a new electricity contract and the new supplier does the rest: it cancels your old contract and registers the switch with the grid operator. Your electricity meter stays where it is, and nothing changes in the wiring of your home.
The grid operator (Netzbetreiber) is the company that owns the power lines in your street. It stays the same whenever you switch and makes sure the electricity reaches you. So you only change the contract partner that sells you electricity and sends you the bill. Here is how to proceed:
- Find your last annual bill: it shows your annual consumption in kilowatt hours, your meter number and your customer number.
- Check which notice period applies to your current contract and whether a minimum term is still running.
- Compare tariffs using your real annual consumption, not an estimated average.
- Sign the new contract and authorise the new supplier to cancel your old one.
- Wait for the confirmation with the start date of supply. Your old supplier confirms the end of the contract.
- On the switch date, read the meter, take a photo and send the reading to both suppliers.
- Check the final bill from your old supplier and claim back any credit.
Expect to spend about half an hour of your own time on the whole process. The consumer advice centre of North Rhine-Westphalia (Verbraucherzentrale NRW) describes the same process and recommends getting every step confirmed in writing.
Do I have to cancel my old electricity contract myself?
No, not in most cases. When you sign the contract, you give the new supplier a power of attorney, and it sends the cancellation to your current supplier.
You should only cancel yourself in two situations. First, if you want to use a special right of termination after a price increase, because the date the increase takes effect is what counts. Second, if you want to leave your supplier but do not yet know who to switch to. In both cases, cancel in text form, meaning by letter, email or through the customer portal, and ask for confirmation of the end date.
Never cancel on the off chance without having a new contract. You will still have electricity, but on the basic supplier's more expensive substitute tariff.
What notice period applies when leaving basic supply?
You can cancel a basic supply contract with two weeks' notice, at any time and with no minimum term. This is set out in Section 20 of the Basic Electricity Supply Ordinance (StromGVV). The basic supplier may not charge fees for the cancellation.
Basic supply is the tariff every household ends up on if it has not signed its own electricity contract, for example after moving into a new flat. In Moers and Duisburg, this is the local supplier with the most customers in the grid area. The tariff is convenient but often not the cheapest. Anyone who has been on it for years should do the maths.
A special contract, meaning any tariff outside basic supply, works differently. Here the notice period in your contract applies. The initial minimum term may be no longer than two years. If the contract has then renewed automatically, you can cancel it at any time with one month's notice (Section 309 No. 9 of the German Civil Code, BGB).
Can the power go off when I switch supplier?
No. There is no gap in supply when you switch, because the grid operator keeps delivering electricity regardless of the contract. The lights stay on even if something goes wrong with the paperwork.
If the switch does not happen on the planned date, for example because details are missing, the basic supplier supplies you in the meantime. You then pay its price for a few days or weeks until the new supplier takes over. Annoying, but no cause for concern. In that case, check the new supplier's confirmation and ask which detail was missing.
How fast is switching electricity supplier since 2025?
Since 6 June 2025, the technical switch takes only 24 hours and is possible on every working day. However, the Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur) points out that this only covers the processing between the companies.
Your notice period does not get any shorter. You can still leave basic supply after two weeks, and a special contract only on the agreed date. What is new is that switching retroactively is no longer possible. So register the switch before your desired start date, not afterwards.
The market location ID (Marktlokations-ID), an eleven-digit number on your electricity bill, is helpful. It allows the new supplier to identify your connection clearly. If it is missing, the switch usually still works but may take longer.
What should I look out for with price guarantees and contract terms?
For every price guarantee (Preisgarantie), read which price components it covers and how long it lasts. A guarantee covering the entire price is rare. Taxes, levies and grid fees are usually excluded, and these are exactly the parts that can rise.
Also pay attention to how the price guarantee and the minimum term relate to each other. Ideally, both are the same length. If the guarantee ends after twelve months but you are tied in for 24, the supplier bears no risk in the second year, but you do. A term of a few months up to one year leaves you more room to manoeuvre.
| Contract feature | What to check | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Unit price (Arbeitspreis) | Price per kilowatt hour in cents | Makes up the largest part of the bill |
| Standing charge (Grundpreis) | Fixed amount per month or year | Payable regardless of consumption |
| Price guarantee | Duration and components covered | Only protects against what is explicitly named |
| Minimum term | No longer than the price guarantee | Prevents you from being tied in without protection |
| Notice period | Notice after the minimum term ends | Decides how quickly you can switch again |
| Switching bonus | When and under what conditions it is paid | Only lowers the price in the first year |
| Prepayment or package price | Avoid where possible | Ties up money or only pays off if your consumption is exact |
If your supplier still raises prices, it must inform you in good time beforehand. You then have a special right to cancel without notice, effective from the date of the change (Section 41 of the Energy Industry Act, EnWG).
Is a switching bonus worth it?
A switching bonus is only worth it if the tariff is also good value without it. The bonus is usually credited once in the first year. From the second year onwards you pay the regular price, which may be higher than that of a tariff with no bonus.
So always work out two figures: the cost in the first year including the bonus, and the cost in the second year without it. An example: a family of four in a three-room flat takes its annual consumption from the last bill, multiplies it by the unit price and adds the standing charge. That gives the annual cost. If you do not want to switch again after the first year, focus mainly on the second figure.
Read the payment conditions too. Many suppliers only pay the bonus if you do not cancel the contract before twelve months are up.
Should I check my existing customer tariff first?
Yes, calling your current supplier is worthwhile. Some suppliers offer loyal customers a cheaper tariff on request, without you having to switch supplier.
Compare this offer using the same criteria as any new tariff: unit price, standing charge, price guarantee and term. Check whether changing tariff with your current supplier starts a new minimum term. If the offer is just as good, you can skip the switch. If it is more expensive, you have a solid basis for your decision.
If you also get gas from the same supplier, review both contracts together. Our guide electricity and gas combined tariff explains when a single contract for electricity and gas makes sense.
What is different when I move house?
When you move, you do not cancel your electricity contract as you would when switching supplier; instead you transfer it to the new address or sign a new contract there. Until you do, the basic supplier supplies you at your new home.
Our guide registering electricity in a new flat shows how to proceed and which deadlines apply. Moving in is a good moment to choose the right tariff straight away instead of staying on basic supply.
Frequently asked questions about switching electricity supplier
Does switching electricity supplier cost money?
No. There are no fees for the switch itself, either with the old or the new supplier. You only pay for the electricity you use.
Do I need a new electricity meter?
No. The meter belongs to the grid operator and stays where it is. Just note the meter reading on the switch date.
How often can I switch electricity supplier?
As often as you like, as long as you keep to the notice periods. Some suppliers do, however, turn down customers who switch very frequently.
What happens to my credit with the old supplier?
It is settled with the final bill. If you paid more than you used, the old supplier must refund the difference to you.
Switch electricity supplier with Connected Mobile
We compare electricity tariffs for your household based on your real consumption, handle the cancellation with your old supplier and take care of registration with the new one. You do not have to fill in a single form yourself or keep track of any deadlines. If you like, we can check your mobile contract and your internet connection at the same time, all in one place: advice on electricity, gas, mobile and internet.
You see in black and white whether switching pays off before you sign anything. We offer advice in German, Turkish, Kurdish and Arabic. Bring your last annual bill to our shop in Moers or Duisburg, or send us a photo via WhatsApp, and we will work out for you whether a switch is worth it.