What you can do

You could be in for a rude awakening when it comes to your electricity bill

Due to the expansion of the electricity grid, the fees for this are rising - in Styria by around 30 percent, only in Graz are the costs falling.(Bild: EXPA Pictures. Alle Rechte vorbehalten. // EXPA Pictures. All rigths reserved.)

At the turn of the year, electricity tariffs in Styria also became several hundred euros more expensive. What you can do to avoid a nasty surprise in a few months' time.

You can still react now and cushion the worst - that is the key message from Karl-Heinz Kettl, energy expert at the Styrian Chamber of Labor. "Energy costs are rising. But it will be months before the bills arrive."

The reason for this is the expiry of the electricity price brake. "Thanks to this subsidy, a kilowatt hour of electricity cost ten cents until the turn of the year; now most people pay around 20 cents, depending on their contract." For an average household, that's 300 euros a year in additional costs.

Karl-Heinz Kettl, energy expert at the Chamber of Labor(Bild: Fotoatelier Robert Frankl/AK)

Added to this are increased grid fees: "You have to reckon with 100 euros more per year" - except for those who use the Graz electricity grid. What does the expert recommend to counteract this?

• Switch providers. "The big providers are still reluctant to cut prices, but the low-cost providers are back," says Kettl. However, the risk of being canceled by them is also higher.

• Compare tariffs. "Switching is easy. Deciding which tariff is right is often more difficult," says Kettl. He recommends the online tariff calculator from E-Control.

• Be careful with switching discounts. Many low-cost providers offer discounts for switching. However, these are only valid for a limited time. "You should be careful and pay attention to the price per kilowatt hour, unless you switch every year."

• Weigh up flex tariffs. If you opt for a flexible tariff, you need to keep a close eye on the price: "Flex tariffs are currently overtaking fixed prices again. However, anyone who has had a flexible tariff in the past twelve months has been cheaper with it." With fixed prices, the commitment usually lasts twelve months.