Vorarlberger Energienetze

What Vorarlberger Energienetze does

Vorarlberger Energienetze GmbH (commercial brand: vorarlberg netz) is the regulated electricity and gas distribution network operator for the Austrian federal state of Vorarlberg and the German Allgäu region. Headquartered in Bregenz, the company operates under exclusive territorial licenses granted by Austrian and EU regulation, with all tariffs set by E-Control Austria. The core infrastructure comprises 11,669 km of electricity lines (95.5% underground cabling, 1,660 local substations, 26 high-voltage transformer stations) and 2,232 km of gas pipelines (82 km high-pressure, 2,150 km medium/low-pressure). It serves 221,737 electricity and 30,119 gas customer installations across 93 and 40 municipalities respectively, with annual supply volumes of approximately 2,541 GWh of electricity in Vorarlberg, 591 GWh in Allgäu, and 1,856 GWh of gas plus 587 GWh of cross-border transit to Liechtenstein and Switzerland.

The technology stack centers on Smart Meter (intelligenter Stromzähler) infrastructure enabling remote reading, quarter-hour value transmission, and the newly launched Sommer-Nieder-Arbeitspreis (SNAP) time-of-use tariff introduced April 1, 2026. A separate GIS-Dienstleistungen division provides WebGIS/WebOffice, CAFM-based facility management, GNSS pipeline surveying, and digital object recording to more than 80 Vorarlberg municipalities, with seamless integration into municipal systems (V-GEO, k5|Next). A third-generation GIS platform (GIS3) built on VertiGIS Studio is being migrated to by 2029. Adjacent offerings include ISO/IEC 27001-certified IT services (data center operations, server housing/hosting), energy community administration (renewable and citizen energy communities), and online connection-request and line-information portals.

Revenue is generated primarily through regulated, recurring network usage fees (Leistungsentgelt, Arbeitspreis, Messpreise, network loss charges) and one-time network access/provision fees (Netzzutritt, Netzbereitstellung), plus regulated pass-through of renewable energy promotion charges. A secondary revenue stream comes from GIS, CAFM, and IT professional services billed to municipalities and external infrastructure operators. The company is majority-owned (93.93%) by illwerke vkw, with minority stakes held by Vorarlberger Kommunale Energieförderplattform eGen (4.46%) and Vorarlberger Energieförderplattform eGen (1.61%). Founded as VKW-Übertragungsnetz AG in 2001, rebranded in 2012 and merged with the Vorarlberger Erdgas gas network in 2013, Vorarlberger Energienetze operates with 251-500 employees.

Name

Vorarlberger Energienetze

Legal name

Vorarlberger Energienetze GmbH

Website

https://vorarlbergnetz.at

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Regulated electricity and gas distribution network operator serving 93 municipalities in Vorarlberg, Austria and the German Allgäu region. Operates 11,669 km of power lines, 2,232 km of gas pipelines, and complementary GIS services for 80+ municipalities. Majority-owned subsidiary of illwerke vkw (93.93%).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Utility Network Operations (Electricity and Gas Distribution)

NAICS

Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution (2211), Utilities (22), Natural Gas Distribution (22121), Electric Bulk Power Transmission and Control (221121), Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (518)

SIC

Electric Services (4911), Natural Gas Transmisison & Distribution (4923), Natural Gas Distribution (4924), Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900)

akta.pro primary industry

Network Upgrades & Capacity Additions (Reconductoring, Rebalancing, Voltage Optimization) (EUAEACAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Substation & Interconnection EPC (Collector/POI Substations, Switchyards) (EUAEADAC), Grid Interconnection & Collector Substation EPC (Utility-Scale Renewables) (EUAEABAK)

Keywords

• Electricity distribution
• Gas distribution
• Network operations
• Smart metering
• GIS services

Headquarters

HQ city

Bregenz

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Electricity Network Usage Fees: Regulated network usage fees (Netznutzungsentgelte) for electricity distribution based on Systemnutzungstarife-Verordnung. Fees include network performance charges, energy usage charges, and network loss charges. Regulated by E-Control Austria.
2. Gas Network Usage Fees: Regulated network usage fees for gas distribution based on Gas-Systemnutzungsentgelte-Verordnung and Allgemeine Verteilernetzbedingungen. Includes network performance fees, network usage fees in different zones, and measurement fees.
3. Measurement Services: Measurement services (Messpreise) for both electricity and gas, varying by meter size determined by maximum connection capacity. Includes charges for meter reading and data management.
4. Network Connection Fees: Fees for new network connections including network access (Netzzutritt) and network provision (Netzbereitstellung) charges for both electricity and gas infrastructure.
5. Renewable Energy Support Charges: Collection and remittance of Erneuerbaren-Förderpauschale (renewable energy promotion fee) and Erneuerbaren-Förderbeitrag (renewable energy contribution) as required by Austrian Erneuerbaren-Ausbau-Gesetz (EAG 2021).
6. GIS Services: GIS and CAFM services provided to over 80 Vorarlberg municipalities, wastewater associations, district heating networks, ski areas, water cooperatives, and other infrastructure operators. Includes GNSS surveying, WebGIS, facility management, and digital object capture.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Vorarlberger Energienetze operates the regulated electricity and natural gas distribution networks for the Austrian federal state of Vorarlberg, providing network usage services, network connection services, Smart Meter infrastructure, and meter reading services to households, businesses, industrial customers, and municipalities. The company also provides GIS and CAFM professional services to over 80 Vorarlberg municipalities and infrastructure operators, including WebGIS, facility management, GNSS pipeline surveying, and digital object recording, with a transition to a next-generation GIS3 platform (VertiGIS Studio) planned by 2029.

Product overview

Vorarlberger Energienetze operates as an electricity and gas distribution network operator serving Vorarlberg, Austria. The company offers a unified portfolio combining core grid infrastructure services (electricity and gas networks) with digital services. The Smart Meter program provides intelligent electricity meters with remote reading capabilities. The GIS Services division offers Geographic Information System solutions to over 80 Vorarlberg municipalities and infrastructure operators, including WebGIS/WebOffice for municipal administration, facility management, pipeline surveying, and digital object recording. The company is transitioning from WebOffice to the next-generation GIS3 platform (VertiGIS Studio) by 2029. Additional services include online connection requests, line information portals, energy community support, and IT services for critical infrastructure (ISO/IEC 27001 certified).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• vorarlberg netz: The commercial operating brand for Vorarlberger Energienetze GmbH's electricity and gas distribution network services.

Products and services

• Stromnetz (Electricity Network Distribution) Regulated electricity distribution network serving 93 municipalities in Vorarlberg and the Allgäu region with 11,669 km of power lines (95.5% cable coverage), 26 substations, and 1,660 local network stations; provides network access to households, businesses, industrial customers, and downstream operators.
• Gasnetz (Gas Network Distribution) Regulated natural gas distribution network serving 40 municipalities in Vorarlberg with 2,232 km of pipeline network (82 km high-pressure, 2,150 km medium/low-pressure), extending from the German border to Montafon and providing transit to Liechtenstein and Switzerland.
• Smart Meter (Intelligenter Stromzähler) Digital intelligent electricity meters deployed across Vorarlberg enabling remote reading, quarter-hour value transmission, power consumer identification, and time-of-use pricing such as the Sommer-Nieder-Arbeitspreis (SNAP); included as a regulated measurement service within network tariffs.
• Erzeugungsanlagen (Generation Plant Grid Integration) Services for connecting renewable energy generation facilities to the electricity grid, including PV systems across multiple size classes (≤0.8kW, >0.8kW to ≤30kW, >30kW to <250kW, ≥250kW), rotating generators, and battery storage.
• Energiegemeinschaften (Energy Communities) Services supporting renewable energy communities (Erneuerbare-Energie-Gemeinschaft) and citizen energy communities (Bürgerenergiegemeinschaft), enabling shared local energy production and consumption across participants.
• Online-Anschlussanfrage (Online Connection Request) Web-based self-service portal allowing customers to submit electricity and gas network connection requests online, streamlining new customer onboarding and connection processing.
• Online-Leitungsauskunft (Online Line / Cable Information) Web-based service providing customers with quick access to information about existing electricity, gas, and communication line infrastructure in Vorarlberg for planning and safety purposes.
• Zählerselbstablesung (Self-Service Meter Reading) Customer self-service for submitting electricity and gas meter readings via online portals, enabling accurate billing without requiring on-site visits by the network operator.
• Sommer-Nieder-Arbeitspreis (SNAP) Time-of-use network tariff applied during summer months (April 1 – September 30, 10:00–16:00) designed to incentivize consumption during peak photovoltaic production hours; requires Smart Meter with quarter-hour value activation.
• GIS-Dienstleistungen (GIS Services) Professional Geographic Information System and CAFM services provided to 80+ Vorarlberg municipalities, wastewater associations, district heating networks, ski areas, water cooperatives, and other infrastructure operators; services include WebGIS, facility management, GNSS pipeline surveying, line documentation, and digital object recording.
• GIS3 - Next Generation Geoinformation Systems Platform Third-generation Geographic Information Systems platform transitioning from WebOffice to VertiGIS Studio, combining modern web-based and mobile technologies with innovative features for planning, operation, and maintenance workflows across sectors.
• Betriebsführung und IT-Services (Operations and IT Services) IT services and operational management solutions for critical infrastructure, including data center operations, server housing and hosting, and project maintenance; ISO/IEC 27001 certified for information security.
• Konzepterstellung und GIS-Beratung (GIS Consulting) GIS consulting services helping municipalities and organizations identify optimal software solutions, ranging from individual work-step support to continuous project accompaniment.

Quantifiable outcome

• Network reliability - one of Europe's most reliable distribution networks
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Vorarlberger Gemeindeinformatik GmbHcoreTechnology or Integration · 14 April 2026Seamless integration with V-GEO software environment used by Vorarlberg municipalities. Enables smooth GIS workflows across municipal administration systems.
• Vorarlberger GemeindeverbandcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 April 2026Long-standing cooperation with Vorarlberg Municipal Association. Anna-Sophie Thoma presented at digitalKompass 2026 event. Partnership enables GIS service delivery to 80+ municipalities.
• VertiGIScoreTechnology or Integration · 3 February 2026GIS software manufacturer partnership for GIS3 project. Kickoff meeting held February 3, 2026 to introduce third-generation GIS platform based on VertiGIS Studio technology. Complete migration scheduled by 2029.
• illwerke vkwcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Parent company holding 93.93% ownership of Vorarlberger Energienetze GmbH. vorarlberg netz is an integral part of illwerke vkw group. Provides shared services, IT infrastructure, and corporate functions including HR (careers link to illwerkevkw.at/karriere).
• Vorarlberger Kommunale Energieförderplattform eGencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Municipal energy promotion platform holding 4.46% ownership stake. Represents interests of Vorarlberg municipalities in the energy network operator.
• Vorarlberger Energieförderplattform eGenminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Energy promotion platform holding 1.61% ownership stake in vorarlberg netz.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Netz Niederösterreich GmbH: Regulated electricity and gas distribution network operator for Lower Austria, spun out of EVN. Operates under the same E-Control tariff regime as vorarlberg netz, with comparable Smart Meter, grid connection, and renewable integration services for residential, commercial, and industrial customers.
• Tiroler Netze GmbH: Regulated distribution network operator for electricity and gas in Tyrol, part of TIWAG. Closest geographic peer to vorarlberg netz given Alpine operating conditions and similar scale; comparable E-Control-regulated tariffs, Smart Meter, and substation/grid services.
• Steiermark Netz GmbH: Regulated distribution network operator providing electricity and gas distribution in Styria, part of Energie Steiermark. Comparable to vorarlberg netz in regulated DSO scope, substation operations, and E-Control-compliant Smart Meter and grid connection services.
• Wiener Netze GmbH: Austria's largest regulated multi-utility distribution network operator, providing electricity, gas, and district heating distribution in Vienna. Direct peer to vorarlberg netz with identical regulatory model under E-Control, similar Smart Meter and grid services portfolio, and comparable GIS-adjacent municipal services.
• Netz Oberösterreich GmbH: Regulated electricity and gas distribution network operator serving Upper Austria, affiliated with Energie AG. Closely comparable in business model and product scope to vorarlberg netz: E-Control regulated tariffs, Smart Meter rollout, and substation/grid infrastructure in a single Austrian federal state.
• Kärnten Netz GmbH: Regulated electricity and gas distribution network operator for Carinthia, affiliated with KELAG. Closely comparable to vorarlberg netz as a single-state Austrian DSO offering E-Control-regulated tariffs, Smart Meter services, and renewable generation integration.
• Salzburg Netz GmbH: Regulated electricity distribution network operator for the Salzburg region, part of the Salzburg AG group. Direct DSO peer with similar regulatory framework, Smart Meter deployment, and grid infrastructure operating under Alpine topography comparable to Vorarlberg.

Regional players

• Allgäuer Überlandwerke GmbH: Regional energy utility operating electricity and gas distribution in the Allgäu region of Bavaria, Germany — the same cross-border service territory where vorarlberg netz also distributes electricity. Comparable in scale, Alpine operating conditions, and E-Control/BNetzA dual regulatory exposure for cross-border infrastructure.
• EnBW ODR AG: Regional electricity and gas distribution network operator in the eastern Baden-Württemberg / Allgäu region of Germany, part of EnBW. Comparable to vorarlberg netz as a sub-transmission/distribution operator in southern Germany with overlapping Allgäu service area and similar Alpine grid conditions.

Others

• VertiGIS GmbH: GIS software vendor partnering with vorarlberg netz on the GIS3 next-generation platform based on VertiGIS Studio technology, with full migration targeted by 2029. Comparable as an ecosystem enabler rather than competitor — supplies the underlying technology for vorarlberg netz's municipal GIS service line.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Vorarlberger Energienetze