Wave of inflation – price shock for district heating: you now pay more

Now the more than 440,000 Viennese households that have a contract with district heating are also affected. As the “Krone” learned, Wien Energie will submit an application in the coming days for “adjustment of the official quotation for district heating”. This application is then checked by the city and the authorities – but no one expects complications.

And the rise has it all. According to information from “Krone”, the bill will increase by 92 percent, which is equivalent to doubling the price. For an average household this means extra costs of around 45 euros per month. To put it more clearly: that is 540 euros more per year.

This is how Wien Energie argues
Internally, the increase is justified by the effects of the global energy crisis. In wholesale gas prices, prices have increased compared to the previous year, the Austrian gas price index rose by more than 470 percent compared to May 2021. Incidentally, two-thirds of district heating is generated from gas (cogeneration in the Wien Energie plants and special district heating boilers). ) and a third from waste incineration, industrial residual heat and biomass. It is claimed that prices for district heating have been stable for years.

There have been only four increases in the past 25 years. And this motivation is also thrown into the fray: Wien Energie also needs the money to achieve the goal of climate neutrality and to be able to phase out gas. An investment of one billion euros is planned for this. For the Viennese this means: keep burning up. Many already do not know how to make ends meet.

The office of responsible alderman Peter Hanke (SPÖ) states: “We are in talks with Wien Energie. More details will follow shortly.”