Independent marketers denounce that government measures weaken them against large power companies

MADRID, 26 Jun. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The independent marketers denounce that the Government's measures are "weakening" their position vis-à-vis the large electricity companies, thus seeing their client portfolio laminated to the detriment of these and the competition that existed.

In this sense, they point out that the trend that existed until a year ago of increasing the client portfolio of small-medium marketers, compared to the 'traditional' ones, has been reversed in the current context of high energy prices, especially with the upward spiral in which the wholesale electricity market is immersed.

In this way, so far this year they estimate that the transfer of customers from independent marketers to those of large electricity companies (Endesa, Iberdrola and Naturgy) has skyrocketed.

Sources from Fenie Energía consulted by Europa Press blamed this change in trend on the ability of these large companies to propose "very aggressive" recruitment campaigns and prices.

For this reason, they ask for a change of scenario to avoid the serious weakening of the marketing companies that do not depend on the large electricity generating companies, since without free competition, the consumer will be "more defenseless."

In addition, they consider that the large electricity companies should be prohibited from selling all their energy to marketers of their business group at a price lower than what the market would pay, since in this way they are "strangling" the competition.

Thus, Fenie Energía insists that the auction mechanism be created so that they sell 25% of their inframarginal energy to the free market, which the Government promised to carry out before December last year but which is still pending.

On the other hand, it is necessary to adapt the regulated rate to the European situation, since the directive states that a regulated rate cannot be offered to companies and that in five years any regulated rate must be eliminated (except the social bonus).

Likewise, it asks to improve the reading and invoicing process to avoid delays and accumulation of invoices, since it is a situation that "aggravates" the situation of high prices.

In this regard, it advocates equalizing the reading obligation for supplies of more or less than 15 kilowatts (kW) and sending the necessary signals to encourage improvements by distributors, also defining a sanctioning regime.