An operating method for an electric arc furnace, - a control device of the electric arc furnace, initially in a melting phase and after that in a flat-bath phase that follows the melting phase, activating a power supply device of the electric arc furnace using first activation values, so that the power supply device draws electrical energy from a supply system and supplies it via a furnace transformer to electrodes of the electric arc furnace, and furthermore activating a positioning device of the electric arc furnace using second activation values, so that the positioning device positions the electrodes relative to steel-containing material in solid aggregate state, which is located in a furnace vessel of the electric arc furnace, in the melting phase, so that electric arcs form between the electrodes and the steel-containing material in the melting phase, by means of which the steel-containing material is melted to form a steel melt, and is positioned relative to the steel melt in the flat-bath phase, so that in the flat-bath phase electric arcs form between the electrodes and the steel melt, by means of which the steel melt is heated further, - the control device determining both the first activation values and the second activation values during the melting phase in such a manner that electrical parameters (U, I, P) of the electrical energy supplied to the electrodes are approximated as far as possible to corresponding target values (U*, I*, P*), - the control device furthermore determining the first activation values in such a manner during the flat-bath phase that the electrical parameters (U, I, P) are approximated as far as possible to the corresponding target values (U*, I*, P*), characterized in that, the control device determining the second activation values either completely independently of the electrical parameters (U, I, P) or depending on the electrical parameters (U, I, P) only if the control device detects the danger of an electric arc breakdown and/or a short circuit on the basis of the electrical parameters (U, I, P). - a control device of the electric arc furnace, initially in a melting phase and after that in a flat-bath phase that follows the melting phase, activating a power supply device of the electric arc furnace using first activation values, so that the power supply device draws electrical energy from a supply system and supplies it via a furnace transformer to electrodes of the electric arc furnace, and furthermore activating a positioning device of the electric arc furnace using second activation values, so that the positioning device positions the electrodes relative to steel-containing material in solid aggregate state, which is located in a furnace vessel of the electric arc furnace, in the melting phase, so that electric arcs form between the electrodes and the steel-containing material in the melting phase, by means of which the steel-containing material is melted to form a steel melt, and is positioned relative to the steel melt in the flat-bath phase, so that in the flat-bath phase electric arcs form between the electrodes and the steel melt, by means of which the steel melt is heated further, - the control device determining both the first activation values and the second activation values during the melting phase in such a manner that electrical parameters (U, I, P) of the electrical energy supplied to the electrodes are approximated as far as possible to corresponding target values (U*, I*, P*), - the control device furthermore determining the first activation values in such a manner during the flat-bath phase that the electrical parameters (U, I, P) are approximated as far as possible to the corresponding target values (U*, I*, P*), characterized in that, the control device determining the second activation values either completely independently of the electrical parameters (U, I, P) or depending on the electrical parameters (U, I, P) only if the control device detects the danger of an electric arc breakdown and/or a short circuit on the basis of the electrical parameters (U, I, P).