Austria's ÖVP, SPÖ, and Neos parties are launching a new electricity price cap for households and businesses. The plan freezes net prices at 10 cents per kilowatt hour if rates exceed 16.5 cents. Draft laws will be reviewed and passed by parliament in 2026.
The cap applies automatically to bills via E-Control monitoring. It triggers if wholesale futures exceed 165 euros per megawatt hour for three months. Current household rates are 14 cents, while industrial aid will expand to over 500 firms starting in 2027.
Annual industrial support will total 250 million euros, targeting a 5-cent rate for half of consumption. Companies receiving over 2 million euros must follow job protection rules, limiting staff reductions to 10 percent to maintain full subsidy eligibility.