The Romanian National Consumer Protection Authority (ANPC) decided to fine energy supplier Enel with 1% of its turnover, or around 10.4 million euros, for billing customers’ energy consumption at a higher price than that established by law. This is the largest fine for an energy supplier in Romania.
ANPC established that the monthly billing for electricity consumption starting from February 2023 does not comply with the current legislation. It was done at a final price of electricity of more than 0.16 euros/kWh, VAT included, in cases where monthly consumption fell between 93 kWh and 100 kWh. The correct price should be a maximum of 0.14 euros/kWh.
The monthly billing of energy consumption at other levels similarly does not comply with current legislation. The billing method has been used in the invoices for electricity consumption starting from 1 January 2023, and is still in effect. Up to 44,000 Romanian residential consumers have been directly affected by the faulty calculation of bills carried out by the economic operator from the beginning of the year until the present.
ANPC states that considering the aggravating circumstances discovered during the control action and the fact that the economic operator has taken no steps in favor of the consumers, the company Enel Energie must be penalized in accordance with the law.