ANP
NOS News•yesterday, 7:06 PM•Adjusted yesterday, 9:21 PM
Supervisory Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) is intervening at energy supplier Hollandse Energie Maatschappij (HEM). The regulator demands that the company quickly get its finances and administration in order, otherwise the permit may be revoked.
The ACM has established, among other things, that many customers who were entitled to a refund received their money too late. This concerns people who were still owed money after drawing up their final or annual accounts.
Tightened supervision
At the end of 2021, when energy prices were very high, several energy suppliers went bankrupt. ACM has since checked whether suppliers have purchased sufficient electricity and gas for the winter to provide all consumers with energy. Last year, ten suppliers came under increased supervision, including HEM.
Now ACM is going one step further by amending HEM’s permit. The company must quickly pay customers who are still owed money. The company must also demonstrate that its financial position has improved and the company has good financial forecasts.
If that fails, ACM can revoke the permit. Without this permit, HEM can no longer supply energy to customers. This would mean that they would have to immediately find another energy supplier and possibly conclude contracts on worse terms.
HEM has not yet responded to the measure.
The ACM previously announced that it would also like to be given the authority to impose a stop on new customers until suppliers comply with the rules again. This can prevent customers from becoming victims, as was the case with Welcome Energy, for example. At present, the supervisor can only revoke the permit.
Energy suppliers received compensation this year in connection with the price ceiling. If the energy price was higher than that ceiling, suppliers were paid the difference.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs announced today that one energy supplier with “remarkable rates” will not be paid the subsidy for this quarter’s price ceiling. This is because payment would lead to “too high a subsidy advance”.
HEM was according to ACM one of three suppliers who charged high prices this year, well above the price ceiling. But it is not known whether HEM is also the supplier in question who will not receive a subsidy this quarter.
2023-12-22 18:06:55
#Regulator #intervenes #energy #supplier #HEM
