Smart Meter Mandatory in Austria 2026: What You Need to Know Now
Summary (TL;DR)
TL;DR: Austria: By 31.12.2026, 95% of all household electricity meters must be replaced with smart meters. Installation is free of charge by the grid operator. With a smart meter you can use dynamic tariffs (aWATTar HOURLY) and retrieve hourly consumption data. Boilers, heat pumps and electric vehicles then charge automatically at the cheapest hour.
Smart Meter Obligation Austria: The Legal Basis
The EU Energy Efficiency Directive and the Austrian Electricity Industry and Organisation Act (ElWOG) require Austria to equip 95% of all metering points with smart meters by 31 December 2026.
Status as of 2026:
- Target: 6.1 million metering points in Austria
- Already installed: approx. 4.8 million (79%)
- Remaining: approx. 1.3 million — rollout in progress
What Changes with a Smart Meter?
Old Meter (Ferraris Meter / Mechanical)
- Only annual reading possible
- No time-of-use differentiation
- No dynamic tariffs usable
- Manual meter reading required
Smart Meter
- 15-minute readings (with opt-in)
- Hourly data retrievable via portal
- Dynamic tariffs (aWATTar HOURLY, Tibber) usable
- Remote reading by grid operator (no more manual reading)
- Real-time display on smartphone app
How Is the Smart Meter Installed?
Process:
- 1Grid operator announces appointment (letter or email)
- 2Electrician installs the meter (30–60 minutes, free of charge)
- 3You receive login details for the smart meter portal
- 4Opt-in for 15-minute metering (optional, but recommended)
No action required: The grid operator will contact you proactively. You do not need to apply — unless you want to have your meter replaced earlier.
Want to have it installed earlier? Contact your grid operator:
- Wiener Netze: 0800 500 100
- Netz NÖ: 02742 59009
- Netz OÖ: 0800 800 400
Dynamic Tariffs: The Main Benefit of the Smart Meter
With a smart meter, you can switch to a dynamic electricity tariff (aWATTar HOURLY or Tibber). Electricity price follows the EPEX Spot AT stock market price — hourly.
Typical price spread:
- Night (0–6 AM): 3–8 ct/kWh
- Midday (10 AM – 2 PM, sunny day): 5–10 ct/kWh
- Evening peak (5–9 PM): 15–25 ct/kWh
Who saves most:
- Electric vehicles: charge at night (3–5 ct/kWh instead of 20 ct/kWh) → saving: €400–800/year
- Heat pumps: run at off-peak hours → saving: €200–500/year
- Boilers: heat water at night → saving: €50–150/year
How to Activate the 15-Minute Opt-In
By default the smart meter only transmits daily totals. For dynamic tariffs you need the 15-minute opt-in:
- 1Log in to your grid operator's smart meter portal
- 2Navigate to "Settings" → "Data release"
- 3Activate "15-minute values" or "Opt-in quarter-hour values"
- 4Confirmation takes 1–3 business days
Important: This opt-in is required for dynamic tariffs like aWATTar HOURLY or Tibber.
Conclusion
The smart meter rollout in Austria is running on schedule. If you haven't been contacted yet, you can proactively request an earlier installation from your grid operator — free of charge. The real benefit comes when you combine it with a dynamic tariff: electric vehicle drivers and heat pump owners in particular can save €400–800/year on electricity costs.
About the Author
Christian Werner is an IT consultant and founder of Werner.Solutions in Graz, Austria. He helps Austrian households and SMEs optimise their energy costs through dynamic electricity tariffs and smart automation — combining IT expertise with practical energy consulting.
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