Press release
Electricity: enquiry on 9 retailers to check compliance with the obligation to inform consumers on two-tier prices
Milan, July 06, 2010
The Energy Regulatory Authority ordered nine electricity retailers to comply with the obligation to promptly notify consumers of the coming into force of two-tier prices to be progressively applied to households as from 1 July 2010. Such notification will be made by means of suitable notices to be published in advance in electricity bills. More specifically the Authority established, by its previous resolutions, that each customer needs to be informed by at least a six-month prior notice; more precisely each customer is to receive specific informative notes annexed to the three bills preceding the effective date of application of two-tier prices.
Italian versionThe nine recipients of the order include: AceaElectrabel Elettricità S.p.A, Iride Mercato S.p.A., Trenta S.p.A., Hera Comm S.r.l., ASM Energia e Ambiente S.r.l., Azienda energetica S.p.A. Etschwerke ag, Enia Energia S.p.A., AcegasAps Service S.r.l. and A2A Energia S.p.A.
The purpose of the initiative, which was prompted by - among other things - a number of reports from consumers and declarations from the same companies, is to ensure the maximum degree of protection of consumers' rights to be suitably and punctually informed on the introduction of the new electricity bills with "two-tier prices", i.e. prices varying depending on two different time courses when energy is used, at the very moment of the delicate start-up of the new price system.
Concurrently, the Authority started as many proceedings to inflict sanctions to the foregoing companies, and further warned that, should its issued order not be fulfilled, they would be required to refund consumers of any higher costs paid as a result of the companies' irregular application of the two-tier prices; without prejudice, however, to any two-tier billings favourable to the customer i.e. whose amount will be lower than the amount that would have resulted from the application of the previous pricing terms.
Resolution VIS 45/10 is published on website www.autorita.energia.it.