The Europe-wide energy crisis of 2021 to 2022 fundamentally altered the operating environment for energy retail regulation in the Czech Republic. Unprecedented wholesale price spikes caused several suppliers to fail, including the second-largest non-incumbent supplier, and led to the transfer of nearly 900,000 customers to the supplier of last resort. Over time, the higher wholesale prices translated into higher consumer bills.
The Energy Regulatory Office (ERO) responded by shifting from a reactive to a proactive enforcement posture. Penalties in 2024 alone exceeded the total levied in the previous decade. License revocations were introduced. New legislative tools were enacted as part of the Lex RES III amendment in August 2025.
Alongside enforcement, ERO recognised that durable consumer protection requires not only deterrence but also tools that enable consumers to make informed decisions. This insight drove the development of the Indicative Offer Price Band (IPNC).
Read more in the latest Regulatory Story by ERRA prepared along with the Energy Regulatory Office (ERO) of the Czech Republic by downloading the document below.
ERRA Regulatory Story No. 21: Indicative Offer Price Band: A New Consumer Benchmarking Tool For Czech Retail Energy Markets