Thirty eight percent of households do not monitor their energy consumption and wait for their annual bill. The number of households that have not done so since spring has dropped. The proportion of people who check their consumption every month due to price rises has risen from a fifth to almost a third since April. This was shown in a survey by PAQ Research for the Institute for the Prevention and Resolution of Over-indebtedness (IPŘP). Experts say it is necessary to be concerned about consumption and its cost in order to avoid high bills, arrears and subsequent debts. Smart meters should help monitor the situation. However, according to IPŘP, their introduction in the Czech Republic is slow.
The survey is part of the project For Energy Without Foreclosures. It was held for the first time in April. It was repeated in October, when almost 1,700 people took part. The results are representative.
While 21 percent of respondents monitored their consumption every month in April, 31 percent did so in October. Once a quarter or even less frequently, 34 percent of respondents surveyed their status in the spring, and 31 percent in October. The proportion of those who only find out about their consumption from their annual bill fell from 46 to 38 per cent in six months.
“People are starting to monitor their energy consumption more, but it’s still not enough. If I don’t keep track of my consumption, I could be in for a nasty surprise and a big arrears at the end of the year,” warned IPŘP Director Radek Hábl. According to him, the situation should be monitored especially by people with lower incomes, who could get into serious trouble, debts and subsequent executions.
Smart meters should help with monitoring consumption. Their introduction is mandated by an EU directive for distributors. From 2024 they should be given to customers consuming more than six MWh a year, and from 2027 to other households. According to Haabel, the Czech Republic is one of the slowest in the EU in terms of implementation and in Sweden, Finland, Italy and Spain, “practically one hundred percent of households” can already use the option.
Some respondents in the survey said they did not understand the current figures and could not calculate the cost, so they do not track consumption. “Smart meters that, in conjunction with the relevant apps, calculate ongoing consumption not only in kWh, but especially in crowns, would help immensely. If people knew how much they spent on energy on an ongoing basis, they could react immediately,” Hábl believes. In his opinion, the introduction of meters should be accelerated.
According to the IPŘP, customers can now ask their suppliers to calculate the price on customer portals. Then, if necessary, a reduction of the high advance payment can be negotiated in case of lower consumption. For higher consumption, experts advise saving and increasing prepayments.
According to the survey results, three-fifths of people have lowered the temperature at home. Over two-fifths have reduced the use of appliances, turned on less lights or showered for shorter periods. Three in ten respondents said they heat less of their home. Nearly a fifth of respondents had turned down the temperature when heating water in a boiler or water heater. 14 per cent of respondents are trying to increase their income. Long-term measures such as switching to renewables are being taken by five per cent. Six per cent of households have applied for benefits from the state.
Source: CTK
