Increases in bills, Antitrust opens case against Enel Sorgenia – The Republic

ROME – For the increases in the electric bills of the first part of the year, the Antitrust finger at Enel Sorgenia. The competition authority has opened proceedings against two workers who "would have violated the law by applying prices excessively burdensome in the sale of services, power its plants at technical minimum in the area of Brindisi, and is essential to ensure that the voltage of the local power grid".

The measure was taken at the end of the investigation carried out by another authority independent of, the Authority for electricity and gas, which is activated at the end of June, when it was forced to increase 4.2 percent of the electric rates, because of the increased costs incurred by the system for the supply of energy.
An extra-cost which would be attributable to the two utilities. Which he writes to the Antitrust – they would have changed their bidding strategy of the energy produced by the plants. By offering prices out of the market or even taking off the systems. This has meant, in Puglia, a decline in the availability of electricity.

To which Terna – the company that has the responsibility to maintain the balance of the system – to avoid the risk of possible blackouts, "was obliged to request the society to the goodwill of some production units on the dispatching services market". So Enel as Sorgenia – wrote again to the authorities for the competition – you are, therefore, found "in the condition of supplier indispensable in certain time slots of the period in question, the position on which they seem to have done the lever to force the Triad of excessive prices, which would appear before the bands are disproportionate to the cost of the service offered".

In essence, the Antitrust authorities want to understand if Enel Sorgenia we sold electricity at a high price taking advantage of the dominant position of their plants in Puglia. And how? Before not offering energy, or practicing the prices for which it was bought and then selling it to the Triad when she found herself forced to accept prices outside the market to avoid possible black-out.

The two companies – that they could face fines from the Authority for energy, now have 30 days to submit their reasons. The uutility have always argued that you have not in any way speculating on the prices, but they have behaved according to the logic of a liberalised market, offering energy only when the prices giusitificavano industrial costs. In a statement, Enel said that it “believes it acted lawfully, in full compliance with the legislation on competition and the requirements of regulatory force”.

In the next few days may get more news. The energy Authority has in the course of the second part of the survey on the increase in abnormal prices: refers to the wholesalers and managers of small impainti of renewable energy are scattered along the peninsula, the results of which should be made known shortly.

Topics:

utility bills

rates

electricity

energy

Starring:

Antitrust

the energy Authority

Plant

enel