Austria sees record energy supplier switching as prices rise

Nearly 327,000 electricity and gas customers in Austria changed suppliers in the first nine months of 2026, the highest number since the electricity market was liberalised 25 years ago, according to regulator E-Control. ORF reports that high energy prices have prompted customers to look for cheaper offers.

Lower Austria had the country’s highest switching rates relative to the number of customers: 6.8 percent for electricity and 7.7 percent for gas. Nearly 60,000 electricity customers and about 19,000 gas customers in the state chose a new supplier.

More than 260,000 customers switched electricity suppliers nationwide, while more than 65,000 households and businesses changed gas suppliers. The respective switching rates were 4.1 percent and 5.6 percent.

Regional energy supplier EVN said the changes were a normal development in a competitive market and that it was affected by only part of them. Spokesperson Stefan Zach said about one-third of electricity switches and around one-quarter of gas switches involved the company.

E-Control board member Michael Strebl said rising prices were prompting people to pay closer attention to their electricity and gas costs. The regulator advised customers to compare prices before the cold season. Strebl cited around 10 cents per kilowatt-hour for electricity and around six cents for gas as reference prices, while noting that whether an offer is affordable also depends on its tariff terms.