2024-07-15 10:31:10
Ohm Énergie, which presented itself as one of the cheapest alternative providers on the market until recently, has just been fined this Monday July 15, 2024 by the Energy Regulatory Commission. The energy police accuse him of deliberately misusing ARENH’s nuclear electricity system in order to resell it more expensively on the wholesale market.
Ohm Énergie was fined 6 million euros
The Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE) imposed a record fine on him 6 million euros to Ohm Energy. This is the highest sanction ever imposed by the energy police. The CRE investigation, launched in September 2022, highlighted unprecedented abuse practices in the use of the ARENH system.
Ohm Énergie attracted a large number of customers by offering them very attractive prices for nuclear electricity. When those customers were acquired, the supplier suddenly raised electricity prices in September 2022, in the middle of the energy crisis. Concretely, Ohm Énergie encouraged its customers to terminate their contract so that they could resell their nuclear electricity purchased at a much higher price on the wholesale market. « I welcome this sanction, the result of an in-depth investigation by the CRE that I wanted to launch when I arrived. This is the first time in terms of abuse that ARENH highlights the abusive practices of an electricity supplier », supported the president of the Commission for Energy Regulation, Emmanuelle Wagron.
A system designed to promote competition
The ARENH system allows alternative suppliers to buy nuclear electricity at a fixed price: currently 42 euros per megawatt hour (MWh). Its main purpose is to allow alternative suppliers to EDF to offer cheap electricity to consumers. However, many suppliers have gone around and abused this system due to the lure of profit. Between 2021 and 2022, Ohm Énergie increased its gross margins from a few thousand euros to 44.3 million euros.« Our role is to ensure that all players respect the rules of the game and their commitment to their customers. », recalled Emmanuel Wagron, adding, “ we are continuing our increased monitoring to ensure the fair and optimal functioning of the electricity and gas markets for consumers ».
Other CRE investigations into practices similar to those used by Ohm Énergie are also ongoing. ” Five more investigations are still ongoing, management confirms. Two relate to the same cause of abuse by ARENH, and three others are the subject of suspected suspensions of ARENH’s rights. New sanctions could be imposed soon », showed the management of the CRE. The conviction of Ohm Énergie aims to send a clear message to all other suppliers and discourage them from resorting to questionable commercial practices. To do this, the CRE published the Monday, July 11, 2024, around forty new rules that alternative suppliers will now have to comply with by September 2024with the aim of encouraging them to show their credentials in front of consumers. The energy police will publish the list of alternative suppliers who refuse to comply.
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