Energy regulator fines Galp Power €752,000 for 125 offences

The energy services regulatory authority (ERSE) announced on Tuesday that it has fined Galp Power 752,000 euros for 125 offences related to interruptions in electricity and natural gas supplies, invoicing and failure to submit contracts in time.

However, ERSE pointed out that the “company cooperated, compensated consumers and waived litigation” and, thus, “in the context of the transaction procedure, in view of the negligent recognition of the infringements, the measures presented and the compensation awarded to the customers injured, the fine was reduced to 376,000 euros, which has been paid.”

Proceedings were opened in December 2018, following complaints and grievances made to ERSE.

The regulator’s investigation found 125 offences for “disrupting electricity and natural gas supplies in cases not excepted or permitted by law”, “terminating electricity supply contracts in cases not excepted or permitted by law” and “failing to send customers a single final settlement invoice within six weeks of the change of electricity and natural gas supplier taking effect.”

The company was also fined for “not taking into account the actual reading in the billing for electricity and natural gas and billing based on an estimate made by the company for the same period”, as well as for “not submitting requests to the Switching Portal to contract the supply of electricity and natural gas on behalf of consumers within five working days of the conclusion of the contract.”

During the proceedings Galp Power, the group’s free market supplier of electricity and natural gas, recognised the misdemeanours and its negligence.

Galp also offered to compensate the 83 affected consumers for a total of 5,620 euros and to pay the fine imposed by the regulator.