The head of ERO on the increase in energy prices: The proposal will not change much! Legally, bigger deviations are not allowed

The proposal for the growth of the regulated energy component for next year will probably not change significantly, only minor changes are possible at most. Stanislav Trávníček, chairman of the Council of the Energy Regulatory Office (ERÚ), told Czech radio Radiožurnál today, according to him, electricity prices for most households will rise by a maximum of one percent. According to Trávníček, the office found ten billion crowns worth of savings when compiling the proposal for the regulated component, but according to the rules it has to follow, there is not much room left for more.

For households, the authority proposes a year-on-year increase in the regulated component of electricity by 71 percent, for gas by roughly 39 percent, the increase should be even more significant for large customers. Business organizations do not like the proposal and, according to the opposition, the situation is a failure of the government. But Prime Minister Petr Fiala (ODS) stated that final energy prices next year will rise by a maximum of one percent compared to this year. The final form of the regulated energy component will be clear at the end of November.

Trávníček repeated that today the reason for the high increase is mainly the transfer of part of the payments to the customer, which this year was subsidized by the state due to the energy crisis. These are primarily fees for renewable energy sources (POZE) and system services, such as, in particular, ensuring the reliable operation of the transmission system and its development. According to the head of ERO, cost growth and the overall economic situation in the country also have an influence.

According to Trávníček, ERO uses all available options when creating the regulated part of energy prices. “We are working to ensure that the price impact on customers is as low as possible. However, we have barriers within which we can move,” he pointed out. According to him, the office has already found savings at the level of ten billion crowns when compiling the proposal. Without them, growth would probably be even higher.

However, the chairman of the ERO Council does not see much room for further significant restrictions on the growth of the regulated energy component. “There may be small savings in the final version, but it would be more about spreading the increased costs into the future. In addition, it could only be small. I see no legal way to deviate further,” said Trávníček.

Despite the increase, however, he expects that electricity prices for most households will not change much in the next year, at most in units of one percent. The final price of gas should be lower than this year. According to him, discounting by suppliers should have an effect. At the same time, Trávníček emphasized that the development of prices will be individual for each consumer.

The price of energy consists of a commercial component, which is determined by suppliers, and a regulated part, which is managed by the state. Next year, the regulated component of electricity should make up about 40 percent of the final price for households, while its share is around 20 percent for gas.