The Austrian Federal Competition Authority has released a final report identifying significant structural competition issues within the nation's district heating sector. Currently, local monopolies characterize the market, which serves one third of households.
To address these challenges, the authority issued 14 recommendations to boost transparency and competition. Key proposals include avoiding mandatory connections, facilitating third-party heat feed-in, and strengthening competition for related services.
The report also advocates for uniform customer rights, independent price indices, and an arbitration board with sovereign powers. These measures aim to ensure clearer pricing and network expansion costs while requiring competition checks for future laws.