In pursuing its work, URSO protects the interests of energy consumer, in particular household consumers, as they are the most vulnerable.
Every household electricity or gas consumer has the right to choose their supplier. In particular, it is in the interest of the household consumer to know their rights and obligations in order to navigate well in the energy sector and to be able to choose electricity or gas supplier that is most suitable to their requirements.
Vulnerable consumers are in Slovakia defined by Law on Regulation in Network Industries no.: 250/2012:
1. electricity consumer in a household,
2. gas consumer in a household,
3. non-household electricity consumer with a total annual electricity consumption for the previous year of no more than 30,000 kWh,
4. non-household gas consumer with total annual gas consumption for the previous year of no more than 100,000 kWh,
5. non-household electricity consumer except for the consumer of electricity according to point 1., who consumes electricity for the operation of a social service facility registered in the register of social services, for the operation of a facility for the social protection of children and social guardianship, for the operation of an apartment building with rental apartments owned by the municipality or higher territorial unit, which are intended for social housing according to a special regulation, or for the operation of an apartment building with rental apartments as part of state-supported rental housing according to a special regulation,
6. non-household gas consumer except for a gas consumer according to point 2, who purchases gas for the operation of a social service facility entered in the register of social services, for the operation of a facility for the social protection of children and social guardianship, for the operation of an apartment building with rental apartments owned by the municipality or a higher territorial unit, which are intended for social housing according to a special regulation, or for the operation of an apartment building with rental apartments as part of state-supported rental housing according to a special regulation,
7. group of gas consumers, which are the owners of apartments and non-residential spaces in an apartment building, taking gas for the production of heat and heating domestic hot water, legally represented by a natural person or a legal entity administering a common heat source supplying the apartment building with heat and hot water,
8. group of electricity consumer, which are the owners of apartments and non-residential premises in an apartment building, purchasing electricity for the production of heat and heating domestic hot water, legally represented by a natural person or a legal entity administering a common heat source supplying the apartment building with heat and hot domestic water.