“The energy transition is a fact and not a forecast. It is already taking place!” For the managing director of Energie Ried GmbH, Friedrich Pöttinger, the corporate strategy has thus also been defined. “By 2030 we will invest more than 65 million euros to secure the energy supply and thus technically enable the necessary energy transition in the region.” At a press conference on Friday morning, Pöttinger also announced a reduction in electricity prices from August 1st. As of this date, electricity prices are to be reduced by 25 percent compared to January.
After the price of gas, the price of electricity also falls
“We are also investing in the market, and our customers are now feeling the effects,” said Pöttinger. Energie Ried had already lowered the gas price at the beginning of May (to 9.99 cents per kWh net; note), and now the reduction in the electricity price is to follow. “We have further optimized our purchasing policy over the past few months. In addition, electricity prices on the wholesale market are falling. Therefore, as always promised, we can now lower the electricity prices,” explains Daniel Berrer, head of energy billing and the service center at Energie Ried. This price is guaranteed until January 31, 2024, after which Berrer expects another measure. “We deliberately limited this price guarantee to six months because we expect the price of electricity to fall at the beginning of next year and we will then be able to offer a lower price with a new price guarantee,” says Berrer. All households, agricultural and commercial operations with an annual consumption of up to 100,000 kilowatt hours should benefit from the new price. A household with around 3,500 kWh annual electricity consumption saves around 205 euros annually compared to the electricity costs of January 2023.
In the coming days, customers will receive a corresponding offer for the new price. “Anyone who confirms the new offer by July 27 will already be paying the lower electricity price and a lower installment payment from August 1,” assures Daniel Berrer.
Ried and the surrounding communities become electricity producers
Energie Ried Managing Director Friedrich Pöttinger spoke of a “turnaround” in the energy supply. “We turn the company 100 percent. So far we have supplied customers with electricity. We are already buying electricity from our customers – keyword photovoltaics – and we will be buying it even more in the future,” explained Pöttinger.
The photovoltaic boom is unbroken: “In 2020 we processed 383 applications for a PV system, in 2022 it was 1698, and the trend continues unabated.” The trend towards photovoltaic systems meant that “Ried and a total of 20 surrounding communities became producers become,” said Pöttinger.
The trend towards connections to the geothermal grid, which is incidentally the largest of its kind in Austria, is also continuing. 250 to 300 systems per year are installed. “Large industry and major customers such as the hospital are also connected and help to reduce emissions from fossil energy supplies,” emphasized the Energie Ried boss.
Ried is to become CO2-neutral
For Mayor Bernhard Zwielehner (VP), Ried is on the right track: “Our goal must be to make the city CO2-neutral.” This was also made possible thanks to the preparatory work of his predecessor Albert Ortig (VP).
The deputy mayors and owner representatives Peter Stummer (SP) and Thomas Dim (FP) thanked the many employees of the city-owned energy company, which had recently made the headlines mainly because of the inconsistencies in the line documentation. “The employees have been an important stabilizing factor in the past, which was very valuable. Thanks to Friedrich Pöttinger, we are now sailing in calmer waters again,” said Peter Stummer. Thomas Dim said: “It’s nice that you can talk about falling energy prices at a press conference. As a company, it is in our own hands to be able to provide the energy in an affordable way.”
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Author
Roman Kloibhofer
Editorial office Innviertel
Roman Kloibhofer
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