Due to the ongoing war in Ukraine, a predicted gas shortage, and inflation, electricity prices are expected to leap more or less substantially in Switzerland over the coming months — ranging from 20 percent for some households to over 60 percent for others.

Price disparities among the nearly 600 Swiss electricity suppliers are significant, so the amount of the increase will depend not only on your place of residence and the size of your dwelling, but also on the production capacity of the local electricity provider.

According to a report by RTS public broadcaster, “some own many power stations and produce the electricity they sell themselves. They are therefore much less dependent on the European market. Conversely, those who produce no kilowatt-hours are now bearing the full brunt of the energy crisis”.

READ MORE: Switzerland faces 20 percent increase in electricity costs

These are the expected hikes in various Swiss regions:

Vaud, Lausanne, Geneva

“Amid the surge in electricity prices, Romande Energie has had no choice but to raise its regulated electricity tariffs effective 1 January 2023”, the company, which supplies power to parts of western Switzerland, said in a press release on Wednesday, calling the increases “historical”.

The company goes to say that tariffs for 2023 “will increase by between 49 percent for the vast majority of our household customers, and 61 percent for customers with specific modes of consumption” — meaning those who use a lot of energy.

This appears to be one of the biggest increases in Switzerland.

This link provides more information about the expected hikes based on your residence in Vaud.

Electrical bills will go up in other parts of the French-speaking Switzerland as well, though to a lesser degree — in Geneva, prices will go up by 22 percent on average for customers of Geneva Industrial Services (SIG), and in Lausanne, Lausanne Industrial Services will raise them by 26 percent over the current rates.

Basel, Zug, Zurich

Clients of the Basel-based energy supply company Primeo Energie will have to pay much more for electricity in the coming year — between 42 and 46 percent, making the canton the second, after Vaud, in terms of energy costs, according to Watson news portal.

The Zug energy provider WWZ will charge nearly 39 percent more, while EKZ in Zurich will raise its rates by ‘only’ 26 percent — a relatively low increase, considering that Zurich is Switzerland’s most expensive city.

If you want to know what you can expect for next year, contact your local power company and ask for the 2023 tariffs for your area.

And this link shows you electricity prices throughout Switzerland.

Can you change your electricity supplier?

You can only change supplier if you move to another area serviced by another provider.

If you remain where you are, then you are stuck with the same company.

READ MORE: How energy shortages could hit daily life in Switzerland