The electricity trader was changed 27,578 times in the fourth quarter of last year, which is 76% more than in the corresponding period of the previous year, said Gatis Macāns, the head of trader relations at JSC Sadales tīkls.
The company was informed that Sadales tīkls provides electricity to approximately 1.1 million natural and legal customers. In 2021, the traders in the distribution facilities of the distribution network were changed a total of 80,873 times, which is 15% more than a year earlier, when the electricity traders in the facilities were changed 70,487 times. The customer may have changed the electricity trader several times in one specific object.
Macāns explained that looking at the dynamics of the change of traders in 2021, it gradually increased – if in the first quarter traders were changed 16,505 times, then in the last quarter of the year changes were made a total of 27,578 times. Last year, the most frequent electricity trader was changed in October 2021 – 13,618 times.
He pointed out that the frequency of changing the electricity trader in 2021 was influenced by several factors. First, the traders were changed due to the change in 2021 of the last guaranteed supply provider to be selected through an open tender. Secondly, in the second half of last year, the electricity trader Senergo announced its closure, so all its customers had to choose a new service provider.
Traders also changed due to rising electricity prices, which led electricity traders to review existing contracts with customers. Part of the contract review was terminated and customers had to choose a new electricity trader, Macan explained.
“Records of electricity prices have also led customers to look more closely at the offers of different traders and compare them to find the best,” said Macāns, emphasizing that choosing electricity to pay at the exchange price will be the same for all traders, but the difference will be in terms and conditions. in the additional payments provided for in them, while the prices of fixed contracts are offered, taking into account the trends and forecasts of electricity prices throughout the term of the contract.
Data on the dynamics of trader turnover at the beginning of 2022 are currently being collected.
Sadales tīkls is a network operator and developer in Latvia belonging to the state-owned Latvenergo Group. The company ensures the operation, renewal and planned development of distribution networks, monitoring the use of electricity, measures to reduce losses and accounting for electricity, as well as the establishment of new connections.
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