Method for operating a multiphase multilevel converter which has a plurality of phase modules each formed of a plurality of two-pole submodules which are electrically connected in series and which each have a plurality of semiconductor switches (710, 710') and an energy storage unit at which a DC link voltage (Uzk) is present, in which method a main actuating voltage (Ustell) is output as a function of a predefined target current, wherein a phase module is in each case a converter branch which is designed in such a way that each phase module is formed of a plurality of groups (G1, G2) of submodules which are connected in series immediately one after another, that the DC link voltages (Uzk) of one group (G1, G2) are each identical and the DC link voltages (Uzk) of different groups (G1, G2) of a phase module are different, that a weighting factor (WF1, WF2) is assigned to each group (G1, G2), wherein the sum of the weighting factors (WF1, WF2) of all the groups (G1, G2) of a phase module is equal to one, that, by multiplying the main actuating voltage (Ustell) by the weighting factor (WF1, WF2) of the group (G1, G2), partial actuating voltages (UST1, UST2) are assigned to the groups (G1, G2), that switching commands (SB1, SB2) for the submodules of the group (G1, G2) are in each case output as a function of the partial actuating voltage (UST1, UST2) of the group (G1, G2), that the DC link voltages (Uzk) of the submodules are measured and the energies (Wi) stored in the energy storage units of the submodules are calculated on the basis of the DC link voltages (Uzk), that the summed energies (Wi) of the submodules, as summed energy (Wist) of the phase module, are compared with an energy target value (Wsoll) and a current actuating value (Iladen) is ascertained from the difference, that the predefined target current is corrected in each case by the current actuating value (Iladen), and that for each group (G1, G2) a pulse pattern voltage (PMU1, PMU2) is produced on the basis of the assigned partial actuating voltage (UST1, UST2) and the switching commands (SB1, SB2) for the submodules of the (respective) group (G1, G2) are generated on the basis of the pulse pattern voltage (PMU1, PMU2). that each phase module is formed of a plurality of groups (G1, G2) of submodules which are connected in series immediately one after another, that the DC link voltages (Uzk) of one group (G1, G2) are each identical and the DC link voltages (Uzk) of different groups (G1, G2) of a phase module are different, that a weighting factor (WF1, WF2) is assigned to each group (G1, G2), wherein the sum of the weighting factors (WF1, WF2) of all the groups (G1, G2) of a phase module is equal to one, that, by multiplying the main actuating voltage (Ustell) by the weighting factor (WF1, WF2) of the group (G1, G2), partial actuating voltages (UST1, UST2) are assigned to the groups (G1, G2), that switching commands (SB1, SB2) for the submodules of the group (G1, G2) are in each case output as a function of the partial actuating voltage (UST1, UST2) of the group (G1, G2), that the DC link voltages (Uzk) of the submodules are measured and the energies (Wi) stored in the energy storage units of the submodules are calculated on the basis of the DC link voltages (Uzk), that the summed energies (Wi) of the submodules, as summed energy (Wist) of the phase module, are compared with an energy target value (Wsoll) and a current actuating value (Iladen) is ascertained from the difference, that the predefined target current is corrected in each case by the current actuating value (Iladen), and that for each group (G1, G2) a pulse pattern voltage (PMU1, PMU2) is produced on the basis of the assigned partial actuating voltage (UST1, UST2) and the switching commands (SB1, SB2) for the submodules of the (respective) group (G1, G2) are generated on the basis of the pulse pattern voltage (PMU1, PMU2).