Energie AG will have to exert an enormous amount of effort if it wants to implement its recently decided expansion plans. “There is little scope for deviations,” said the head of the State Audit Office (LRH), Rudolf Hoscher, after the publication of his company’s 80-page audit report. In July 2023, the Neos had a special audit of Energie AG and its strategy for the past ten years reviewed. In the OÖN interview, Hoscher specified: “The question is whether there are enough projects in the pipeline because not all planned projects will be able to be implemented.”
Neos regional chief Eypeltauer: VP blocked pink proposal in spring. Image: Volker Weihbold
The state energy supplier would have had to change its strategy at the time after the Paris climate targets were adopted in 2015 at the latest. This is what Neos club chairman Felix Eypeltauer reads from the report. At that time, increasing efficiency and leveraging synergies was the top priority. “This strategy was developed in 2013 and carried through to 2020 instead of adapting it,” said the club chairman. That was a failure for which politics was also responsible. Hoscher also says: “The switch came relatively late.”
LRH Director Hoscher: Detecting deviations more quickly through data analysis Image: Antonio Bayer
An interim report from 2016 showed that the planned investment volume for renewable energies of 37.8 million euros would not be exhausted by 2020, so it was reduced to 33.2 million euros. In 2020, wind power and photovoltaics only accounted for 1.4 percent of generation. The framework conditions for wind expansion are not yet practical and the state has not exhausted its possibilities, writes the State Audit Office.
In addition, the network expansion was too slow. Eypeltauer criticizes that the state government did not use its right to have the expansion plans presented to it – over the entire ten-year investigation period.
In 2018, State Economics Councilor Markus Achleitner became the head of the supervisory board. It is clear from the minutes that were included in the Court of Auditors’ report that Energie AG repeatedly pointed out the limited framework conditions. State politics should have reacted, says Eypeltauer. This is also where the suggestion for improvement to the state of Upper Austria comes from: When it comes to energy and climate neutrality issues, the state should use the knowledge of the Energie AG Oberösterreich Group. A further ten recommendations are aimed at Energie AG – among other things, the network company Netz OÖ should strengthen its communication. “This should be more transparent for end customers,” says Hoscher. In regions where the grid capacity is sufficient, interested parties should know that they can install solar power systems beyond their own needs.
Eypeltauer said at a press conference how things will continue politically: Next week the report will be discussed in the control committee – some pages will also be presented that were included in the public report as business secrets. Eypeltauer assumes that the recommendations will be accepted.
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Author
Sigrid Brandstätter
deputy head of the economics department
Sigrid Brandstätter
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