In addition, the purchasing strategy ensured that price fluctuations were muted, it reported on Thursday.
Energy bills outside Randstad are rising, concerns about poverty: you pay more here
The new electricity rate will then be 0.2811 euros per kilowatt hour (kWh) and gas will drop to 1.2950 euros per cubic meter. Essent states that these windfalls for households can be limited, because approximately 60 percent of the energy bill consists of taxes and levies that will increase on January 1.
Taxes and levies are significant
“The development of these government costs often has a greater impact on the total energy bill than a change in rates,” said Essent’s spokesperson. The fixed supply costs will increase slightly by 0.50 euros per month.
This means that the overall effect for consumers remains uncertain, especially in a period when the energy market is volatile and inflation is still noticeable. Customers with a variable contract will be personally informed as usual of rate changes.
Essent supported by court
In May, the North Holland court ruled that Essent may adjust the prices of variable contracts after a complaint from a customer. That ruling went against an earlier decision by the Amsterdam court in a case against Vattenfall.
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The court states in the Essent case that variable contracts simply mean that rates can change in the meantime, both up and down. There is still a mass claim against all energy companies.
The current price drop is possible due to the lower gas and electricity prices in the market at which Essent has purchased.
Merged company gaining ground
Essent, sponsor of sports clubs such as the skating team, is the Dutch subsidiary of the German E.ON, one of Europe’s largest manufacturers that achieved a turnover of 80 billion euros last year.
Since the liberalization of the Dutch energy market, when Essent was created from a merger of regional utilities, the company has grown into one of the largest providers. Only Vattenfall has sold more energy contracts in the Netherlands, according to the latest Consumer Monitor from regulator ACM.