Emergency supply shall be provided to household consumers who, due to financial circumstances, income and other social circumstances and living conditions, are unable to provide themselves with an alternative source of energy for heating that would incur the same or lower costs for heating a residential space.

A distributor may not disconnect a consumer, who is entitled to the emergency supply, from the heat supply or restrict their consumption of heat or other energy gas before it reaches a quantity that is absolutely necessary in view of the circumstances (the season, temperatures, place of residence, health condition and other similar circumstances) in order not to jeopardise the life and health of such consumers and persons living in their households.

The costs of heat consumption incurred by a consumer entitled to the emergency supply shall be covered by the distributor until they are settled by the consumer.