Electricity and gas, because the Antitrust wands Iren, Iberdrola, Eon and the Dolomites
The Antitrust authority has initiated four investigative proceedings against the energy groups Iren, Iberdrola, Eon and Dolomiti. Twenty-five other companies in the sector received requests for information. All the details in the article by Energia Oltre
The Antitrust Authority (AGCM) has initiated four investigative proceedings – and as many precautionary sub-proceedings – against the companies Iren, Iberdrola, E.ON and Dolomiti, suppliers of electricity and natural gas on the free market.
THE REQUESTS TO ENI, ENEL, A2A, ACEA AND MORE
The AGCM also sent a request for information to 25 other companies: A2A Energia, Acea Energia, AGSM ENERGIA, Alleanza Luce & Gas, Alperia, AMGAS, ARGOS, Audax Energia, Axpo Italia, Bluenergy Group, Duferco Energia, Edison Energia, Enegan, Enel Energia, Engie Italia, Eni Plenitude, Enne Energia, Estra Energie, Hera Comm, Illumia, Optima Italia, Repower Italia, Sinergas, Sorgenia, Wekiwi.
CHANGES IN THE PRICE OF LIGHT AND GAS
Under the Authority's lens, the proposals to change the price of electricity and natural gas supply, in contrast with art. 3 of the Law Decree 9 August 2022 n. 115 (so-called Aid bis), converted into Law no. 142 of 21 September 2022. The rule in question suspends, until 30 April 2023, the effectiveness of both the contractual clauses that allow the sales companies to change the supply price and the notice communications, unless the changes have already completed before the decree came into force.
THE DISPUTES IN IBERDROLA AND E.ON
In particular – reports the news agency Energia Oltre – Iberdrola and E.ON are challenged with the communication with which the companies have represented to users the termination of the supply contract due to excessive burdens occurring, as an alternative to the acceptance of a new contract at significantly worse economic conditions.
THE CONTEST IN THE DOLOMITES
Dolomites, on the other hand, are challenged with the alleged effectiveness of the communications of unilateral changes to the supply price because they were sent before the entry into force of the Aid Decree bis (August 10, 2022), while the rule is without prejudice to unilateral "perfected" changes. or actually applied before the same date.
THE CONTEST IN THE DOLOMITES
Finally, Iren is challenged with the communication relating to the alleged expiry of all fixed price offers with the simultaneous prospect of new and worsening economic conditions of the offer, as an alternative to the customer's right to withdraw from the supply.
UNREASONABLE COMMUNICATIONS
Iberdrola and the Dolomites are also challenged for the deceptiveness of the communications which would highlight the impossibility of supplying electricity at the contractually established price due to the increase in the price of natural gas, in express and serious contradiction with the affirmations disseminated in the promotional messages, according to which the electricity sold would come exclusively from renewable sources.
WHAT THE ANTITRUST WILL DO
After hearing the companies and allowing them, within a short time, to exercise their right of defense, the Authority will conclude the sub-proceedings by assessing whether the conditions exist for adopting any precautionary measures.
The AGCM sent a request for information to the other 25 companies supplying electricity and natural gas to acquire a copy of any contra legem communications sent to consumers, starting from 1 May 2022, relating to unilateral changes to the economic conditions of supply or also to the renegotiation / replacement / updating applied after 10 August 2022. In this way we intend to verify whether similar conduct that does not respect the rights of consumers has been implemented.
(Article published by the news agency Energia Oltre )
This is a machine translation from Italian language of a post published on Start Magazine at the URL https://www.startmag.it/energia/agcm-procedimenti-iren-iberdrola-eon-dolomiti/ on Wed, 19 Oct 2022 10:52:08 +0000.