Electricity prices increased since beginning of the year to 7.1 percent Berlin, 27 August 2009 while gas prices again fall in the autumn, must practice more patience power customers. This year there will no longer be comprehensive relief for private households in Germany, so that consumers also at the beginning will have to pay the speaking season of on record prices for their electricity purchases", explains energy expert Thorsten Bohg by the independent consumer portal toptarif.de. Since the beginning of the year, electricity prices approximately 900 regional basic utilities in Germany on average by 7.1 percent climbed. Also in the coming weeks, 12 more companies plan price increases by an average of 5.7 percent. Large differences in the pricing striking are the large price differences, including the providers supply their customers with current electricity prices in 2009. While the cheapest basic supplier Vattenfall a sample household with an annual consumption of 4,000 kWh power in Hamburg 718 euros in the lowest available rate calculated, demand the Stadtwerke Borna in Saxony with 1,051 euro about 46 percent more for the same amount of electricity. According to research by toptarif.de, 25 local supplier at present offered power for under 800 euros at a quantity of 4,000 kWh. More than 1,000 euros are due in 11 companies.

Competitors lure with high saving potentials that is continuous upward movement of electricity prices at the basic suppliers"but only one side of the electricity market, clearly Bohg. Overall the pressure of competition among the companies through new providers is increasing." Increasing competition is assumed but so far hardly reason providers in many regions. Therefore, the gap between the prices of the local public utilities and those of competitors is widening further. Consumers through a change of provider can benefit from this growing discrepancy of electricity prices enormously", Bohg. Toptarif.de (www.toptarif.de) has the maximum for the 25 most expensive and cheapest basic utilities Savings determined by the election of a new party. Conclusion: Expensive basic providers, who switches to a cheap provider, saves 4,000 kWh of electricity consumption in the year average 248 euros. In the choice of tariffs with annual payment the savings increases even on 414 euro.

The prices of the 25 best local provider be undersold by competitors in an average of 61 euros. Here, the cheapest deals with annual payment save 198 euros. Ultimately the consumers of the key to an effective competition on the electricity market is,"points out Bohg. The chance to benefit from the liberalized electricity market, is given by many available alternatives for everyone. Now consumers have the ability to exert appropriate pressure on the company over their demand and return to screw the price." Through consumer portals such as toptarif.de (www.toptarif.de/ power) or free service hotline 0800-10 30-499 can consumers quickly and easily inform about alternatives in their region and free to switch to cheaper providers. toptarif.de is the independent consumer portal of the Verlagsgruppe Georg von Holtzbrinck, for all common tariffs in Germany. It currently includes the categories of electricity, gas, DSL, investments, and insurance for legal protection, furniture, residential, private liability, car, keepers liability and is constantly being added and updated. The consumer can thereby with minimal free checking, whether there are cheaper rates for him, and, where appropriate, immediately change. The complete service of change of is completely free of charge for the consumer and the customer receives the original conditions of the provider, in some cases over toptarif.de in any case even additional, not available from the provider themselves bonuses and discounts.