Since Salzburg AG raised the partial amounts in February, households that heat with electricity in particular are sometimes faced with bills that are up to twice as high as before.
A flood of complaints from electricity customers this week reached the Chamber of Labour, Salzburg AG, but also the media and politics. It mainly affects people who heat with electricity – for example with a heat pump without its own meter, with infrared heating or a radiator.
Minimum pensioner pays 70 euros more per month
One of those affected is Eleonore Lux, a minimum pensioner from Salzburg- Liefering with a monthly income of 1,100 euros. In the 1990s, Lux had her oil heating system replaced with an electric heating system at her own expense in her small GSWB apartment in Salzburg Liefering.
In order to avoid an additional payment due to rising electricity prices, the minimum pensioner had her monthly bill increased to 200 euros. But now the shock followed: The new requirement is 270 euros per month, electricity price brake already included. “I don’t know how I’m going to pay for that with my pension. Now I have already voluntarily paid 200 euros anyway. And now another 70 euros more – that’s a lot of money for me,” says Eleonore Lux.
KPÖ Plus boss: “Other federal states are much further”
In order to further relieve those affected like Ms. Lux, KPÖ Plus councilor Kay-Michael Dankl calls for the heating cost subsidy to be sharpened. “It should be expanded. So far, the state government has made it difficult for citizens to apply for this subsidy. Many who are entitled to it have not yet received it, such as minimum pensioners.”
“Other states are much further along. There, all people at risk of poverty receive this support. It should be paid out automatically. That would save a lot of bureaucracy and paperwork. And it would ensure that the money gets to the people who need it,” says Dankl.
The FPÖ and SPÖ are also demanding further help
The FPÖ and SPÖ, both opposition parties in the state parliament, are also demanding further help, as they argue that many people with different electric heating systems or boilers are not sufficiently relieved by the electricity price brake.
State government refers to National Council meeting
The state government refers to the National Council meeting next week, at which the housing and heating cost subsidy will be decided by the federal government. Salzburg will receive around 28 million euros as a result.
They want to use this for further relief – such as an increase and expansion of the heating cost subsidy. However, it is still unclear when these funds will flow – those affected like Leonore Lux have to hold out for that long.
Electricity bills are a source of frustration for many
Many electricity customers in Salzburg are currently very angry and desperate. The reasons for this are often gaps in the electricity price brake and planned aid measures that are still a long time coming.