The number of households and businesses switching electricity and gas suppliers in Austria rose in 2024, with 377,840 customers making the move, according to energy regulator E-Control.
The switching rate for the year stood at 4.7%, up from 345,962 supplier changes in 2023 and 212,170 the year before.
A total of 300,709 customers – of whom 239,732 were households – changed their electricity provider in 2024, while 77,131 customers, including 70,173 households, switched their gas supplier.
Rising Bills Drive More Customers to Switch
With government support measures for electricity ending in 2024 and network charges increasing, many households have seen their energy bills go up.
“As a result, energy bills are rising, making it all the more important to compare electricity and gas tariffs,” E-Control board member Wolfgang Urbantschitsch said. “Households can easily save several hundred euros a year by switching suppliers.”
However, despite the overall rise in switching, fewer gas customers changed provider compared to 2023. The regulator urged consumers to compare tariffs as soon as possible.
Regional Differences in Switching Rates
Lower Austria recorded the highest rate of electricity supplier switches at 7.9%, followed by Upper Austria (6.0%) and Vienna (5.4%). Vorarlberg had the lowest rate, with just 0.4% of customers changing provider.
For gas, Lower Austria again led the way with a switching rate of 9.1%, followed by Upper Austria (8.4%) and Styria (6.5%). Vorarlberg recorded the lowest rate, with only 1.0% of gas customers making a switch in 2024.
