New grid charges will reward flexible electricity use

Austria’s new electricity network tariffs will make the timing of consumption more important, with customers who can shift their use to less busy hours able to save on grid charges, ORF reported. The energy regulator E-Control issued the new framework on Monday.

The System Usage Charges Framework Regulation will be introduced in stages from 1 January 2027. All electricity networks in Austria must switch to the new system by mid-2028. The aim is to ease pressure on the grid.

Under the new approach, charges will reflect both the amount of electricity used and peak demand. Karl-Heinz Kettl, an energy expert at the Steiermark Chamber of Labour, said the amount consumed would still matter, but the time of use would carry more weight than before. He welcomed the transition periods, saying they would give both the industry and customers time to prepare.

Households that use several high-demand appliances at once could draw more power from the grid at a single time. For example, charging an electric car while running a dishwasher and washing machine would create a peak. A more even pattern of consumption is expected to benefit households, Kettl said.

E-Control estimates the new system could prevent about 300 million euros in grid expansion costs across Austria each year by making better use of existing networks.

Customers may also save by using electricity when the grid is less busy. A lower network charge for midday consumption in summer was introduced in April 2026. From 1 October 2027, a winter discount will apply to electricity used between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. from October to March.