Change in the regulated natural gas market generates complaints for Deco

MMore than drawbacks, there are “difficulties” in the process of switching to a natural gas supplier in the regulated market that lead consumers to turn to Consumer Protection Association Deco, Ana Sofia Ferreira, of the Consumer Support Office, Lusa explained.

“We have received several requests for information and requests for support within the scope of this transition to a regulated natural gas market,” he said, explaining that among the main uncertainties were the lack of knowledge of the change process and the lack of information. .

“Many” consumers who go to the support desk are ignorant of the date of changing the supplier, when they receive the bill or end the contract and start another, others because they were surprised by the increase in the electric bill because they lost discounts for not being at the same gas and electricity provider.

“What we are seeing is that consumers are not being properly alerted to the consequences of a potential change” in the regulated gas market, Ana-Sofia Ferreira said, explaining that changing the gas supplier, while keeping the same electricity supplier, could lead to penalties for losing discounts granted to contracts with both services in same time.

“Electricity tariffs become more expensive and in fact what you gain from moving to the regulated market in natural gas ends up losing,” he said, noting that the legislator’s intention to allow the change to the regulated market, does not mean that the consumer is harmed.

“Intention [do legislador] It is to respond to the energy crisis and inflation we are experiencing, and to help the consumer, he noted, adding that Deco also appealed to the Ministry of the Environment to clarify, through legislation, that a change in the regulated market cannot include the penalty for early termination of the contract, which includes a contracted loyalty period.

Not all consumers are alert, according to Deco, to the possibility of switching to a regulated market in electricity either.

However, those who change are obliged to deal with two systems, one for the change in the regulated gas market and the other for the electricity market, which are two different processes, with different entities and different requirements, which the association considers to conduct the process difficult for the consumer.

And Anna Sofia Ferreira, explained that last weekend the association sent a letter to the Ministry of the Environment in which it reported its “concerns” about the process of switching to dealers in the regulated market.

In the document, the association called for a way to make the two systems equal, i.e. in terms of requirements, and instead of each company creating its own platform to transition to the regulated market, a single platform was created in which the consumer could switch to the regulated gas and electricity market at the same time.

The cost of moving to a regulated natural gas market will be 60 million euros in 2023, due to the loss of potential value-added tax revenue, according to the proposed state budget.

Assuming that all consumers eligible to return to the regulated market actually return to the regulated tariff, the government estimated the maximum aggregate savings with return to the regulated market at €56.7 million per month, according to the document.

Assuming that the same price terms will apply in free and regulated markets for 12 months, the government estimates that this measure could generate “total consumer savings above €680.4 million in 2023”.

1.5 million low pressure natural gas consumers are covered, with a consumption of less than 10,000 cubic meters (m3) per year.

Read also: Nigeria: ‘significant disruption’ to gas delivery (including to Galp)