The CNMC opens proceedings to impose sanctions against Naturgy for alleged “favorable treatment” in handling claims.
After several complaints and an inspection of the group’s headquarters, the watchdog sees signs of anti-competitive behavior on the part of the gas company.
A new front for Naturgy. The National Markets and Competition Commission (CNMC) is investigating UFD Distribución Electricidad, the distribution subsidiary of a leading Spanish gas company, and its parent companies for alleged anti-competitive behavior. In particular, the regulator noticed signs perceived favorable treatment in claims management.
“The company would provide preferential and discriminatory treatment to incidents and claims made by certain marketers between 2021 and 2022, to the detriment of third-party independent marketers,” the agency it runs said Wednesday. Kani Fernandez. According to the regulator, Naturgy would thereby falsify “free competition in the retail electricity market,” which constitutes a violation of Law 3/1991 of January 10 on unfair competition.
The first Spanish gas company is going through difficult times. Firstly, due to the atmosphere of high internal tension that is felt in the board of directors after the Emirati Taqa buried its joint project with Criteria Caixa to take over the energy company chaired by Francisco Reines. Secondly, due to a number of pending processes that attracted the attention of the CNMC and the prosecutor’s office.
A few days ago, the prosecutor’s office of the National Court filed a complaint against Generation Naturgy for an “illegal increase” in prices, which would have brought additional profit in the amount of 42.3 million rubles. Prosecutors considered the company may have committed a crime related to the market and consumers after CNMC sanctioned the group last July with a fine of 6 million euros and others 35.5 million as compensation for damage caused. Competence. In this case, the supervisory authority’s criterion was to resist criminal prosecution of the gas company.
The case, announced this Wednesday, was initiated by the CNMC following a series of complaints against the distributor for reported practices and as a result of confidential information provided by the Directorate of Competition. “Given suspicions of possible anti-competitive practices, CNMC inspected two Naturgy Group headquarters“, the manager said in his statement.
Regarding the new process, the gas company assures that the UFD”strictly follows the rules and applies the same procedures in the relationships it maintains on a daily basis with dozens of marketers as part of its activities as an electricity distributor” and denies consent “without favor” with no one in particular.