Understanding your Dutch energy bill
Dutch energy bills use terms that are hard to decode if Dutch is not your first language. Here is what each line actually means.
Your monthly amount (termijnbedrag) is an advance estimate, not your real cost; the true cost is settled once a year in the jaarafrekening. Your bill splits into the bare supply rate, a standing charge (vastrecht), network costs (netbeheerkosten) and energy tax (energiebelasting), minus a fixed tax rebate. Only the supply rate, standing charge and discount differ between suppliers, so that is where comparing helps.
Termijnbedrag: your monthly advance
The amount you pay each month is a termijnbedrag, an advance based on an estimate of your yearly usage. It is not your actual cost. If the estimate is too high you pay too much and get it back later; too low and you owe money at the annual settlement. Keep this amount realistic so you avoid a surprise.
Once a year you receive a jaarafrekening (annual settlement), which compares your real usage to what you paid in advance and settles the difference.
What the bill is made of
Your bill has four main parts. The bare supply rate (leveringstarief) per kWh and m3, set by your supplier. The standing charge (vastrecht), a fixed yearly fee to your supplier. The network costs (netbeheerkosten), a fixed fee to your regional network operator, the same regardless of supplier. And the energy tax (energiebelasting) plus VAT, set by the government.
There is also a fixed annual tax rebate (belastingvermindering) that is subtracted, the same for everyone. If you have solar panels, your bill also shows feed-in (teruglevering): the power you returned to the grid.
Where you can actually save
This is the useful part. The network costs, energy tax, VAT and tax rebate are identical no matter which supplier you choose, so no comparison changes them. Only the bare supply rate, the standing charge and any welcome discount differ between suppliers. That is exactly what the comparison ranks, which is why switching supplier is the lever that lowers your bill.
Frequently asked questions
What is a termijnbedrag?
It is your monthly advance payment, based on an estimate of your yearly usage. It is not your actual cost. The real cost is settled once a year in the annual settlement (jaarafrekening), which refunds or charges the difference.
What is vastrecht on my bill?
Vastrecht is a fixed yearly standing charge from your supplier, separate from what you pay per kWh or m3. It differs between suppliers, so it is one of the things comparing can lower.
What are netbeheerkosten?
Network costs: a fixed fee for the regional network operator (netbeheerder) that owns the cables and pipes. They are the same regardless of which supplier you choose, so switching does not change them.
Why is my annual settlement so different from my monthly amount?
Because the monthly amount is only an estimate. If it was set too low, your real usage over the year is higher and you owe the difference; if too high, you get money back. You can ask your supplier to adjust the monthly amount to match your real usage.