Who will be affected? And for how long will the price cap apply?

As you know, the government has approved a regulation that sets out the rules for the capping of energy prices. This will help with high electricity and gas prices not only for households, but also for small and medium-sized businesses, government institutions, schools, health and social service providers, public transport operators and other entities.At the same time, it has abolished the electricity, gas and heat allowance (the so-called savings tariff) for next year. This will be replaced by support with a higher financial allocation in the form of a cap on energy prices.

The price cap will be in place for the whole of 2023, possibly extended as necessary. Households will have the price cap set at 100% of their electricity and gas consumption. In the case of electricity, all consumption for all households will be capped. In the case of gas, the entire consumption will be capped for all households and small gas consumers with an annual gas consumption of up to 630 MWh.

The price cap applies to prices in 2023, i.e. from 1 January 2023. However, suppliers will be obliged to adjust their customers' advance payments and send them a revised advance payment schedule within 30 days after the price cap is announced.
A customer who has agreed a lower price for electricity or gas than the ceiling will pay the supplier the agreed price according to the contract for the supply or bundled services of electricity or gas. The existing contractual relationship remains unaffected by the new regulation - as long as the agreed lower price in the contract remains in force.