Salzburg AG will not abolish the new customer tariff
This particularly affects those hearts who are now switching to Salzburg AG because of the bankruptcy of numerous cheap electricity providers. A number of low-cost electricity providers can no longer keep up with the rapid increase in electricity prices and are subject to bankruptcy. Among their customers there are a number of low-income earners who are now switching to Salzburg AG and, as new customers, have fallen into the highest tariff level.
Hagenauer: “More and more cases”
Social councilor Anja Hagenauer (SPÖ) says: “This is increasing now, because a particularly large number of people who receive social support have always looked where they can still save. About the electricity. And now they fall into this new customer trap. That will not do. “Salzburg AG should classify people with lower incomes as existing customers and offer lower prices.
If the chairman of the supervisory board of Salzburg AG has his way, the tariff for new customers should be abolished. Governor Wilfried Haslauer (ÖVP) says: “We spoke to the board. The company is now thinking in the direction that new customers are classified in the same way as existing customers. That’s hard to argue with.”
Salzburg AG will keep the difference
In fact, the distinction between new and existing customers should generally be maintained, Leonhard Schitter, CEO of Salzburg AG: “For all those who are new, there is the new customer tariff. But there is the free market, with almost 50 providers in Salzburg. Everyone can choose their own provider.”
For existing customers, the electricity for this year was already bought last year – at even lower prices. And now you can only pass it on to existing customers, argues Salzburg-AG board member Leonhard Schitter.
Salzburg AG offers Caritas emergency aid funds
Households that can no longer pay their electricity bills want to be helped in a different way, says Schitter: “Salzburg AG has increased the Caritas electricity aid fund fivefold, to 250,000 euros. We’ve also asked people in distress to get in touch with us. We pass this on to Caritas.
Up to 300 euros are paid out once a year via the Caritas fund. The inquiries for this electricity fund have already increased by a third compared to last year.
Existing tariffs for “Salzburg AG customer family”
However, Salzburg AG will provide existing tariffs for a group of new customers. We are talking about the Salzburg AG customer family. In other words, children of parents who have been customers for many years and are moving away from home.
Salzburg AG rejects the abolition of the new customer tariff
The debate about a higher rating for new customers continues