Hergovich/Schroll: 300,000 EVN customers need security

Transparency and switch-off stop required for Optima Classic customers of the state energy supplier

St. Polten (OTS) – EVN will terminate the Optima Classic contracts for electricity and gas. About 40 percent of all customers are affected. “Lower Austrians expect security and transparency from the state government and the state energy supplier EVN. 300,000 customers need a rescue package. No one can now be disconnected from the electricity or gas grid. EVN must guarantee security of supply for 300,000 Lower Austrians,” says Sven Hergovich, the designated SPÖ chairman in Lower Austria. “Customers expect transparency about future pricing. EVN has to deliver quickly here. In any case, EVN is not allowed to rely on floating tariffs. Because floating means that the prices change constantly depending on stock market developments. I reject a privatization of the risk and thus a passing on of the costs to the Lower Austrians. For us, one of the most important concerns is to ensure that all Lower Austrians can continue to afford energy in the future by stopping energy prices. The state government has to ensure that,” concludes Hergovich.

“EVN is trying to pass on the legal risk that the price increases may not be legal to the customers by terminating the contracts. I demand full transparency from EVN, disclosure of the calculations and an external, neutral, independent assessment – the concerns of my compatriots are great and therefore the switch-off moratorium, which expires on March 31st, should be extended until the end of the year! I wonder where the federal government and the competition authorities are?” says Alois Schroll, the energy spokesman for the SPÖ. “The federal government is driving inflation higher and higher with its policies. To date, they have not solved a single problem. The SPÖ has been demanding a temporary suspension of the merit order principle for months in order to stop the price avalanche. Only market intervention can protect customers,” says Schroll. “The legal uncertainty in the energy sector must not be dumped on the backs of households, business and industry. Energy companies must also be given clear rules on how a functioning energy supply should be provided,” concludes Alois Schroll.