Electricity tariff for the heat pump: separate meter or not?

A heat pump is usually the largest electricity consumer in the home. How much it costs you depends mainly on two things: how efficiently it runs and how your electricity is billed. That is what this is about. We deliberately do not mention specific prices from individual suppliers. They change constantly, and you can compare them yourself.

What makes up your electricity price

There are two main blocks on your bill:

The energy price for the electricity itself. This is determined by your supplier, and you are free to choose your supplier.
The grid charges for transmission and metering. You pay these to your grid operator, and you cannot change them. The amount is set by the authorities and varies depending on the grid area.

On top of this are taxes and duties.

According to E-Control, grid charges consist of several parts: the Netznutzungsentgelt (grid usage charge - a fixed basic price per year and a consumption charge per kilowatt hour), the Netzverlustentgelt (grid loss charge), the Entgelt für Messleistungen (metering charge) and the Netzbereitstellungsentgelt (grid provision charge). The last two are important when considering a separate meter.

Option 1: The heat pump is connected to the household meter

This is the simplest solution. One meter, one bill, one basic price, one metering charge. The heat pump runs whenever it needs heat, without external interruptions.

The disadvantage: you cannot see on your electricity bill what the heat pump consumes on its own. For this, you need a separate electricity meter for the system, which is useful anyway for monitoring efficiency. Find out more in the article After installation.

Option 2: A separate, interruptible metering point

The heat pump can also be connected to a separate metering point with its own grid tariff. In the Systemnutzungsentgelte-Verordnung (System Charges Ordinance), this tariff is called 'unterbrechbar' (interruptible). This means that the grid operator is allowed and able to interrupt the power supply to this system at any time or at contractually agreed times. In everyday language, these are referred to as 'Sperrzeiten' (blocking times).

The advantage lies in the grid charge. In the current version of the ordinance (2026 amendment), the interruptible tariff for households has no fixed basic price, and its consumption charge per kilowatt hour is lower than that of a normal household meter in all grid areas. How large the difference is varies greatly depending on the grid area.

What this means for you:

The heat pump must be able to bridge lock-out periods. This depends on the device, storage tank and house. Ask your installer if your system is designed for this before you switch.
A second metering point has its own fixed costs. A fee for metering services is charged for each meter. Whether a separate metering point pays off in the end depends on how much electricity the heat pump needs.
Not every system can be easily converted. There must be space for the second meter in the meter cabinet, and it must be connected by an electrician.

You can find out directly from your grid operator whether and under what conditions they offer such a metering point. Ask specifically about the lock-out periods.

Watch out for the connected load

According to E-Control, households usually have an agreed connected load of 4 kW. With an electricity-intensive system like a heat pump, this capacity can be exceeded. In this case, the capacity provided is increased and a grid provision fee is charged retrospectively. It is best to clarify this with your installer and grid operator before installation.

The summer grid tariff: electricity at lunchtime

Since 1 April 2026, there has been a summer low energy price on grid level 7, i.e. for households. According to E-Control, the consumption-dependent part of the grid usage fee is 20 per cent lower daily between 10:00 and 16:00 from 1 April to 30 September.

The requirements:

Your smart meter measures consumption in 15-minute intervals. According to E-Control, this can usually be activated by yourself in the grid operator's customer portal.
Otherwise, you don't need to do anything. The grid operator automatically charges the lower price.

For the heat pump, this means: if it heats domestic hot water in summer, it is worth scheduling this within this time window. E-Control explicitly mentions domestic hot water heating and heat pumps as examples. If you have a photovoltaic system, you will schedule hot water heating for this time anyway, see Photovoltaics and heat pumps.

Important: According to E-Control, the tariff calculator does not display this summer discount.

What could change from 2027

In 2026, E-Control submitted the draft of a new basic ordinance for grid charges for consultation. According to the draft, it is scheduled to come into force on 1 January 2027. The points affecting heat pump owners:

In addition to the energy charge, there is to be a capacity component. Those who put high peak loads on the grid will have to contribute more.
In addition to the summer tariff, a winter low energy price is planned: from October to March, from 22:00 to 04:00.
The 'interruptible' category is to be phased out. According to the draft, the regular grid usage fee is to apply from 1 January 2030 for connections that were interruptible at the end of 2026. A tariff for contractually agreed, flexible consumption is planned as a successor.

⚠️ This is a draft. As of 4 October 2026, we have not found any confirmation that the ordinance has been adopted, or in what version. What your grid operator confirms to you is binding.

What you can do in practice

Compare suppliers. The energy price is the part you can influence. E-Control's tariff calculator at e-control.at/tarifkalkulator shows quotes for your address and consumption.
Activate 15-minute metering. It costs nothing and is the prerequisite for the summer tariff.
Do not install a separate metering point just for a discount. Especially since the 'interruptible' category is scheduled to be phased out according to the draft, it is worth talking to your grid operator beforehand.
Efficiency first. Every kilowatt-hour that the heat pump does not need is cheaper than any tariff. The biggest lever for this is the heating curve.

You can find out how much electricity your system actually needs in the article Check your electricity consumption yourself. The cost comparison calculates a comparison of the heating costs of different systems.