FAQ

• Can everyone purchase electricity from Straumlind? 

Yes! Everyone in Iceland can purchase electricity from Straumlind. 

• Is switching to Straumlind without cost? 

Yes, it costs nothing to switch to Straumlind. 

• What happens after I have signed up?

You will receive an e-mail that confirms that your registration with Straumlind was successful. 

If you signed up when there are more than 20 days until the end of the month your business relationship with Straumlind begins next month. If you signed up when there are less than 20 days until the end of the month your business relationship with Straumlind begins in the second next month. 

• What are my payment options?

Customers can choose between paying via their Icelandic online bank or by credit card. The cost of paying via the online bank is 124 kr. but no cost is added for regular credit card payments. 

• When do I pay in the online bank?

Generally the due date is 4. day of the month and the final due date is 7. day of the month.

Straumlind sends its claims to the online bank as soon as possible after the month ends. The reason this happens after the end of the month, and not before as is common in Iceland, is because the information about your usages is not available until then.

Customers who have Greiðsluþjónusta (e. payment service) at their bank or who pay with a creditcard are less impacted by the time that passes from the claim being visible in the online bank and the final due date.

• Where can I see the bill from Straumlind?

You can see all bills from Straumlind on My Pages at straumlind.is.

• Why do I also receive a bill from Veitur, Rarik or HS Veitur for electricity?

In Iceland the cost of electricity is split into two parts. On the one hand you pay for the distribution of electricity and on the other hand you pay for the electricity itself. 

Your address decides which distribution company you are connected to. There are five distribution companies in Iceland: Veitur, Rarik, HS Veitur, Orkubú Vestfjarða og Norðurorka.

Electricity sales are subject to competition and everyone is free to choose their sales company.  

• Is it possible to receive only one bill for electricity?

No. The cost of electricity is always split into two parts. On the one hand you pay for the distribution of electricity and on the other hand you pay for the electricity itself. 

Skilum ehf. provides interim debt collection services for Straumlind.

If a bill is not paid on its final due date the process of recovery is as follows:

• + 25 days - A written notice of an unpaid bill is sent. Cost depends on capital of dept.

• + 35 days - First letter of interim recovery - Cost depends on capital of dept.

• + 45 days - Second letter of interim recovery - Cost depends on capital of dept.

• Penal interests are added to the capital from due date until the bill is fully paid.

All bills from Straumlind can be found on My Pages.

• Why is the price for each kWh lower for electric heating than for general use of househoulds?

The reason is that general use and electric heating are in different tax brackets of value added tax (VAT). 

According to Act No. 50/1988 on value added tax a 24% VAT is added to general use but for electric heating the VAT is 11%. Without the VAT the price for each kWh is the same. 

• Can anyone buy electricity for electric heating?

No. Electricity for electric heating is only for residents on so called “cold areas” in Iceland (especially areas where there is not hot water service for heating). Meters in homes on “cold iareas” are specially marked and that ensures that a 11% VAT is added on the electricity that goes through those meters. Residents in “cold areas” can also apply for supplement payments for electric heating of homes at Orkustofnun. 

• How does a smart meter work?

A smart meter is a digital meter that measures your electricity usage and automatically transmits information to the distribution company. An electricity user with a smart meter does not have to execute the task of sending a reading of the meter to the distribution companay.

• Do all smart meters transmit the same information?

Unfortunately not.

A vast majority of smart meters in Iceland are set to send a reading once a month the distribution company, generally around midnight on the last day of the month.

Some smart meters are set to hourly measurement which means that the meter transmits usage information every hour.

It is necessary to have a smart meter with hourly measurement to receive the service Night-time discount.

• When do I get a smart meter?

Your distribution company is in charge of that matter, and you can get information about that from them.

• I have a smart meter. How can I see its setting?

If you are a customer of Straumlind then you can see it at My Pages under information about your Notkunarstaðir (e. Place of meter). You can also see the Tegund mælingar (e. Type of measurement), e.g. álesin (e. monthly reading) or tímamæld (e. hourly measurement), on the bill.

Below you can see the status for each distribution company of the installation of smart meters and hourly measurement in April 2024:

HS Veitur

Smart meters have been installed almost everywhere. Most smart meters are set to send a reading once a month but it is possible to request for it to be changed to hourly measurement and if the data quality is sufficient then HS Veitur will change the setting.

Veitur

Smart meters are being installed. Almost all household smart meters are set to send a reading once a month. Veitur have begun testing changing the setting to hourly measurement. Veitur is hoping to be able to increase the number of smart meters with hourly measurement in the summer of 2024.

Rarik

Smart meters have been installed in many places. All household smart meters are set to send a reading once a month. Rarik does not change the setting of household meters.

Orkubú Vestfjarða

Smart meters have been installed in many places. All household smart meters are set to send a reading once a month. Orkubú Vestfjarða is hoping to be able to offer hourly measurements in the fall of 2024.

Norðurorka

Smart meters have been installed in many places. All household smart meters are set to send a reading once a month. Norðurorka does not change the setting of household meters.

What is Straumlind doing?

All customers of Straumlind that would like to receive the Nigh-time discount can login to My Pages at Straumlind and click on "Já takk - Virkja Ódýrara rafmagn á nóttunni um leið og hægt er" (e. "Yes please - Activate the Night-time discount as soon as possible"). Then Straumlind will contact HS Veitur to have the customers smart meter set to hourly measurement and is also in regular contact with the other distribution companies.

• What is Night-time discount?

Night-time discount is a 34% discount of electricity used between 02:00-06:00 AM.

• Can anyone get a Night-time discount?

No, unfortunately the Night-time discount is not available everywhere. Night-time discount is an innovation- and development project and a smart meter set to hourly measurement has to be installed for the service can be activated.

The distributer HS Veitur is furthest along, and their area is currently the only one where the Night-time discount has been activated. According to information from the other distributers they are all getting prepared.

• What can I use the Night-time discount for?

The discount applies to any electricity usage between 02:00-06:00 AM. Here are a few examples of equipment that uses substantial amount of electricity and often have a timer so you can utilize the Night-time discount while you sleep!

Electric cars, hot tubs (electric), dishwashers, washing machines and dryers.

• Why is Straumlind offering a Night-time discount?

The Night-time discount combines two of Straumlinds objectives which is to offer its customers the most favourable prices on electricity and to make the electricity system "smarter".

By using data science and artificial intelligence the efficiency of the electricity system can be maximised, cost minimised and an energy balance supported.

General energy consumption is double during the day than during the night. Therefore, the strain on the system is much more during the day then during the night. By offering customers a Night-time discount, Straumlind wants to support the important project of shifting the foreseeable increased strain on the system due to charging of electric cars to the night-time when there is less demand.

• What is a distribution company?

A distribution company transfers the electricity from the producer and distributes it to electricity users. All electricity users are customers of a distribution company and you can not choose which distribution company you are in business with because there is just one distribution company in each area of Iceland. A distribution company manages all equipment, e.g. the meters, and customer relations regarding the equipment, e.g. for regular reading of the meter and if there is a malfunction.

• What is an electricity sales company?

An electricity sales company is a company that buys electricity on the wholesale market and sells it to electricity users. Here the electricity can choose vendor. Straumlind is an electricity sales company.

• A visual overview of the electricity system

If you are moving it is important to:

1. Take a reading of the meter and ideally take a picture

2. Send a moving notification to your electricity distributor

   1. Veitur

   2. HS Veitur

   3. Rarik

   4. Norðurorka

   5. Orkubú Vestfjarða

You do not have to send a notification to Straumlind because the electricity distributor will do that.

You can find more information about the electricity distributors in Iceland here.