Hundreds of thousands are reclaiming their money from the electricity company EVN
Austrian judicial authorities announced the invalidation of the price adjustment clause adopted by "EVN Energievertrieb GmbH & Co KG", paving the way for hundreds of thousands of Austrians to reclaim money they previously paid due to increases in electricity and gas prices.
This decision came after a lawsuit filed by the "Consumer Information Association" (VKI) on behalf of the Ministry of Social Affairs, where the Vienna Court of Appeals ruled in favor of consumers. Consequently, a settlement was reached with EVN, one of the largest energy providers in the state of "Niederösterreich", to compensate for the illegal price increases that occurred in September 2022.
Starting from early May 2025, more than 300,000 households will receive a message from EVN containing details about the amounts due for each customer, which vary according to the amount of electricity and gas consumption. Compensation can be provided in the form of a direct cash payment or credit within the company's points program. It is important to note that even former customers of EVN are entitled to benefit from this compensation, provided they register online before July 31, 2025.
The increases that were challenged included several definitions of energy such as: Optima Strom Optima Eco Optima Natur Optima Eco Natur Optima Gas Optima Biogas
According to "Stefan Schreiner", head of the class action department at VKI, the average compensation for a family using electricity and gas in normal amounts could reach several hundred euros, providing significant support amid rising living costs.
For his part, the CEO of EVN, "Herwig Hohenwarter", commented that the company is pleased to reach an easy and straightforward solution, but he also emphasized the need for energy companies in Austria for a clearer and more stable legal framework regarding price adjustments, which he hopes will be achieved through the upcoming law related to the electricity sector.