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Energy For Members

How expensive are gas and electricity in Austria right now?

Amanda Previdelli
Amanda Previdelli - [email protected]
How expensive are gas and electricity in Austria right now?
Hiring an Austrian accountant may help you take advantage of deductions that are uncommon in other countries. (Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash)

A report by Eurostat shows price increases in the European Union for the first semester of 2022, but how does Austria compare?

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In the first half of 2022, average household electricity prices in the EU increased sharply compared with the same period in 2021, from €22.0 per 100 kWh to €25.3 per 100 kWh, according to Eurostat data.

"More recently, wholesale prices for electricity and gas have increased substantially across the EU. Energy and supply costs impacted by the current geopolitical situation, the Russian military aggression in Ukraine, mainly drove the increase", Eurostat said.

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The EU's average electricity price with taxes was €0.2525 per kWh. In Austria, prices were at approximately €0.20, so just about the average in the bloc. In addition, several government measures, including €150 "energy vouchers," helped contain the prices for household consumers, according to the data.

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At least for Austrians, the increase in electricity (1.5 percent when compared to the same period the year before) is nothing compared to the spike in natural gas prices, which were up by 20.6 percent in the first half of 2022 in the Alpine country.

READ ALSO: What are the chances of blackouts in Austria this winter?

Domestic Austrian consumers were still lucky, as other European countries saw much higher increases. For example, in Estonia, prices were up by 154 percent; in Lithuania, by 110 percent; in Bulgaria, by 108 percent. 

 

Austria also had a lower price increase when compared to Germany (24.5 percent) and Italy (40 percent), for example.

Expressed in euros, average household gas prices in the first half of 2022 were €0.0861 per kWh in the European Union. In Austria, prices were €0.0767. Household gas prices in the EU were highest in Sweden (€0.2216 per kWh) and lowest in Hungary (€0.0291 per kWh) in the first half of 2022.

What measures is the government taking?

The energy crisis and rising inflation have undoubtedly affected the lives of people in Austria. However, the federal government has already announced several measures looking to cushion the impacts of the higher cost of living.

Besides "eletricity vouchers" that Austrian households received and could redeem with their power supplier, the government confirmed an electricity price brake, as The Local reported.

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The price cap for electricity will last until June 30th 2024, benefiting every household in Austria. The relief should be in place by December 1st, Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) told the media.

READ ALSO: Energy crisis: What to do in case of a power outage in Austria

The price of electricity will be subsidised up to a consumption of 2,900 kilowatt hours, the government said. Until that limit, it will cost only ten cents per kilowatt hour – the energy price from before the current energy crisis.

Above that consumption limit, people will have to pay market prices for what they consume.

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The Austrian government has also taken some measures announced as part of relief packages with one-off payments and changes in the tax system.

READ ALSO: Klimabonus: Payments complete for the Austria-wide scheme

Additionally, Austria has announced a national campaign to help people save energy and fuel while authorities look to diversify their natural gas suppliers and fill up reserves for the winter ahead. 

 

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