Whether it’s daily grocery shopping, fuel, electricity or heating: everything is becoming more expensive at the moment. Styrian households that use district heating for heating can also expect massive price increases in the new year. For an average household, there is a lush price increase of 18 euros per month. The topic caused a stir at the state parliament session on Tuesday.
It is no longer a secret that heating will be massively more expensive this winter. What this means in concrete terms for district heating customers in Styria caused heated debates at the state parliament session on Tuesday. Governor Schützenhöfer responded to an urgent request from the KPÖ and put concrete figures on the table. Labor price rises by 30 percent At the beginning of November, Energie Steiermark and Energie Graz had submitted an application to the regulatory authority – the State of Styria – for a price increase. Accordingly, the labor price is to be increased by 2.09 cents per kilowatt hour – a full plus of 30 percent). The annual output price is expected to increase by 19.50 euros per kilowatt. International gas prices have risen sharply If the state approves this application, customers will pay significantly more from next year – for an average household, the plus is around 18 euros per month Massively increased energy prices on international markets, especially for gas. This does not stop at Styria either, emphasized Governor Schützenhöfer in his response to the inquiry. The decline in gas prices in 2018 did not appeal to customers “When the gas price fell sharply after the last price increase in August 2018, the district heating providers did not grant end customers any price reductions”, KPÖ member of the state parliament, Werner Mugg, opposes this and suggests: “Lower district heating prices up to a certain level of consumption are urgently required.” That would relieve most households. A request to that effect was rejected by the ÖVP, SPÖ, Neos and Greens.
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