Visit to E-CONTROL

Our first CdH event in 2025 was the visit to E-CONTROL (ECG), the independent electricity and gas regulatory authority of Austria, where Executive Director Dr. Wolfgang Urbantschitsch presented the tasks and activities of E-Control and gave us an update on the current situation as well as the forseeable development of the Austrian energy market.

Our visit to E-Control comes at a most interesting time when the gas transit treaty between Ukraine and Gazprom just has finished at the end of 2024. Since then no more Russian gas flows through the Ukrainian transit gaspipeline to Eastern and Central Europe. The Austrian leading company OMV terminated its gas supply contract with Gazprom December 11 due to a failure-to-supply dispute. Therefore new sources of supply have been agreed upon and the necessary import capacities are set up.

E-Control (ECG) is the independent electricity and gas regulatory authority for all consumers. It was founded 2001 on the basis of the Energy Liberalisation Act. E-Control's main duty is to "oversee and control the Austrian gas and electricity market in the best interest of the consumer". It stands for transparent information, a high level of technical expertise, objective and appropriate regulatory decisions and a strong focus on service. The authority promotes a cost-effective, competitive, efficient and sustainable energy system with a high level of security of supply. It monitors and supervises the energy markets and shapes the transformation of the energy system in consultation with the stakeholders involved.

Within the European regulatory system, E-Control works on the creation of framework conditions at all relevant levels and thus also secure access to the European market. Energy system transformation E-Control is actively shaping and developing the energy system transformation and supporting customers on their way to a fair, secure and CO2-free energy future. As an independent regulatory authority, E-Control is the point of contact and advocate for all energy consumers. Consumers are taking on new roles by acting as suppliers on the markets as well as consumers. This and new market
participants are creating new relationships and customer needs. The aim is to support and inform consumers and respond to new requirements while enabling everyone to actively participate in competition and the energy system transformation. 
As an independent regulatory authority, E-Control enables a cost-efficient, high-quality and secure energy system for the present and the future. To this end, it makes use of its proven and legally mandated instruments, in particular monopoly regulation, market regulation and market supervision.

Presentation and Q&A session: In his Presentation followed by an extensive Q&A session Dr. Wolfgang Urbantschitsch informed about the latest developments in the gas sector. He showed the gas pipeline system in Europe and the changes in the gas supply during the recent years. After the gasflow through North Stream and finally through Ukraine from Russia has ended Central European countries are now importing gas by pipeline from Norway and Azerbaijan as well as LNG in substantial amounts from the international gas market, mainly US an Katar. The share of Russian gas has diminished to 12% in 2024 and probably 7% in 2025. Austria is on its way to construct additional gaspipeline facilities to import gas from Norway and LNG via Germany. There is a reverse flow system for importing gas via Italy from Azerbajian and northern Africa already in operation.

Dr. Urbantschitsch then explained in detail how and why the gascontract between OMV and Gazprom has ended. He pointed out that as far as is known the price of Russian gas was not cheaper as it depended on the Dutch TTF Natural Gas Futures. He gave us an overview of the storage facilities in Austria, which are very substantial. The storage capacity is enough to supply the Austrian demand for the whole winter. Gas prices are high now but should come down during springtime. Dr. Urbantschitsch touched the electricity supply and electricity generation as well as the renewable energy with all its consequences, such as the improvement and nenewal of the electricity grid and pointed out that the decision making has to be much faster. Austria has the advantage of a considerable share of hydropower energy as well as pump storage facilities in the Alps.

Dr. Wolfgang Urbantschitsch - Executive Director of E-Control
Dr. Wolfgang Urbantschitsch has been Executive Director of the Austrian regulatory authority for energy since March 2016. He is also Vice President of CEER (Council of European Energy Regulators), Member of the Board of Regulators of ACER (Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators), President of the Advisory Committee of the Energy Community and Chair of E-Control’s Consumers Task Force. From 2001 to 2016, Mr. Urbantschitsch was Head of the Legal Department of E-Control. Before joining E-Control, Mr. Urbantschitsch worked as a legal advisor at the Austrian Federal Constitutional Court, at the Austrian regulatory authority for telecommunication and as a research assistant at the University of Graz. He also worked abroad at the European Parliament in Brussels and the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg. Mr. Urbantschitsch studied law in Austria, Germany and Belgium. He earned a master’s degree (LL.M.) from the College of Europe in Bruges/Belgium and obtained his doctoral degree at the University of Graz/Austria for his thesis on telecommunications law.