Disclosed is a method for managing the power transmitted from a central network component to a decentralized network component via a line, said method determining the ultimately available power in a simple manner. In said method, a respective decentralized network component that is assigned to a predefined power class and can adjust different functionalities, each network component, successively simulates decentralized network components belonging to different power classes, verification is made as to whether the central network component responsible for transmitting power supports a decentralized network component of the simulated type, and the respective decentralized network component decides which functionalities implemented therein are activated after the respective decentralized network component has determined the power classes supported by the central network component.