ÚRSO head Jozef Holjenčík talks about energy prices in 2025. (source: TASR – Dano Veselský)
The energy regulator – the Regulatory Office for Network Industries (ÚRSO) – has published details on how the prices of gas, electricity, and heat for households will change next year. However, it still remains unclear to what extent the government will assist households with their bills in 2025.
According to the regulator, gas prices are set to rise significantly, up to 34 percent for some households, or nearly €344 a year excluding VAT, unless the state provides assistance to households. The value-added tax will also increase from 20 percent to 23 percent next year.
ÚRSO: GAS PRICES IN 2025
Tariff | Household type | 2024 costs (year, energy aid included) | 2025 costs (year, without energy aid) | Difference (year) | Difference (month) | Difference (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
D1 | gas used for cooking only | €78.42 | €89.92 | €11.50 | €0.96 | 14.66% |
D2 | gas used for cooking and the heating of water | €510.15 | €669.93 | €159.78 | €13.32 | 31.32% |
D3 | gas used for cooking, heating, and the heating of water | €1,016.47 | €1359.99 | €343.53 | €28.63 | 33.80% |
Electricity prices are expected to decrease by several euros a year, thanks to a deal between the government and Slovenské Elektrárne, Slovakia’s largest electricity producer. “In the context of falling electricity prices, we accept the commitment to offer electricity to households in 2025 at a price of €61/MWh,” the company said in a press release. In return, the government has pledged not to adopt measures, including new taxes, that could harm the firm.
“Even VAT on electricity is going down to 19 percent,” said Economy Minister Denisa Saková (Hlas) two weeks ago, as quoted by the daily Sme.
Regarding heat prices, it is difficult to generalise since households have different heat suppliers using various fuels. However, the regulator stated that average heating costs per flat will be €936, a decrease of 2.8 percent compared to this year. The regulator has set heating prices for 800 localities.
“Households in Bratislava will feel the price increase most significantly, as natural gas makes up 80 percent of the energy mix for district heating,” said financial market analyst Marek Nemky of XTB, as quoted by Sme.
ÚRSO head Jozef Holjenčík said that people in Trenčín will pay €71 more a year for heat in 2025, while people in Fiľakovo will pay €215 less.
Delayed announcement
Last year, Holjenčík’s predecessor, Andrej Juris, lost his job after announcing that gas prices for households would rise in 2024. “If I caught Mr. Juris right now, I would strangle him with my own hands,” Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer) said back then. In the end, his government provided households with blanket financial assistance worth more than €1 billion this year. The Fico government will not be as generous in 2025, given the poor state of public finances, which required the adoption of consolidation measures worth €2.7 billion.
In the state budget, approved by parliament on December 3 with the support of 79 MPs, €100 million is allocated to financial energy aid for households. A €400 million reserve is also included in the state budget, some of which is expected to be used for energy aid.
According to the daily Hospodárske noviny, the government is expected to address energy aid on December 18, following the prime minister’s return from his official trip to Brazil.The aid should be blanket, rather than targeted at specific groups.
The opposition has criticised the government for failing to present the energy aid plan by now.
“Once again, it has been confirmed how little the ruling coalition cares about people and its pre-election promises,” said SaS MP Karol Galek about the delay in the announcement.
