Source - Ei Ställningstagande Tariffer Ei2025-06

Ei’s ställningstagande on network tariff design — Ei2025:06. Part of Ei’s new ställningstaganden series. Clarifies the four-component tariff structure under EIFS 2022:1 and states the key requirement that tidsdifferentiated (time-differentiated) effektavgifter must reflect the aggregate load on the DSO’s entire grid, not only the individual customer’s load curve.

Source metadata

Note on timing: This ställningstagande was published when EIFS 2022:1 was still in force as the forthcoming mandatory tariff regulation. That regulation has since been scheduled for repeal by June 2026, with a replacement model due April 2027 (Source - Ei Effektavgifter webb (2026), Source - Ei Effektavgifter Uppdrag (2026)). The substantive content of this ställningstagande — the aggregate-load principle and four-component structure — is expected to carry forward to the replacement regulation.

The four-component tariff structure

Under EIFS 2022:1, network tariffs (avgifter för överföring av el) must consist of four components:

Why four components?: Network tariffs must serve two purposes simultaneously. Kostnadsreflektiva (cost-reflective) tariff components give customers price signals to use the grid efficiently, but because distribution is a natural monopoly with high fixed costs and low marginal costs, cost-reflective pricing alone does not cover the DSO’s actual costs. The fast avgift covers this residual — designed to minimize behavioral distortion since these costs exist regardless of usage.

Cross-level pass-through: The same four-component structure applies at all grid levels (transmission, regional, local) and for both injection (inmatning) and withdrawal (uttag). Effektavgifter from the transmission grid appear as forward-looking costs in regional grid tariffs, which appear in local grid tariffs. This chains cost signals through the grid hierarchy.

The aggregate-load principle for effektavgiften

Ei’s core ställningstagande: The time-differentiation of the effektavgift must take into account both the individual customer’s load and the sammanlagda belastningen (aggregate load) on the DSO’s entire grid.

The effektavgift signals when grid capacity is constrained, incentivizing customers to shift away from peak hours. For this signal to be accurate, the high-price periods must correspond to when the entire grid is heavily loaded — not only when a given customer happens to peak.

Non-compliant practice identified: Setting high-price periods based solely on each individual customer’s three highest monthly peak hours, without considering whether those hours occurred during periods of high aggregate grid load. A customer whose three monthly peaks happen to fall at 2 AM — when the overall grid is lightly loaded — should not face high effektavgifter for those hours.

Correct approach: Identify time periods when total grid load is highest; apply elevated effektavgifter during those periods system-wide. The effektavgift may be zero during periods where neither the DSO’s own grid nor any overlying grid has capacity constraints.

Localization signals

Current Swedish law prohibits local DSOs from applying geographically differentiated tariffs within a concession area (3 kap. 51 § ellagen — multiple concession areas reported jointly). This prevents sending localization signals — higher charges in congested sub-areas, lower elsewhere.

Ei has previously proposed removing this prohibition (Ei PM2020:03). SOU 2023:64 (Ett förändrat regelverk för framtidens el- och gasnät) proposes the same.

Pending legislative change, Ei has initiated a project to investigate how DSOs could introduce localization signals within the current framework for efficient grid utilization.

Ei’s role and timeline

• EIFS 2022:1 guidance published June 2024; updated on an ongoing basis at ei.se
• Mandatory from 1 January 2027 under EIFS 2022:1 — or the forthcoming replacement regulation
• Ei is developing prescriptions on how DSOs must inform customers about the new tariff structure (4 kap. 25 § ellagen obligation)
• Ei plans tillsyn (oversight) to verify correct tariff design

Relevance to wiki