Former Minister of Industry and Energy José Manuel Soria He admitted that he had his own department in the National Court “Something strange” was detected in electricity prices at the end of 2013They therefore called on the National Markets and Competition Commission (CNMC) to analyze the situation.
Soria testified this Wednesday as a witness in the ongoing case against Iberdrola Generación. manipulation light price In the last weeks of 2013Regarding the suspension of the Cesur electricity tender in December of the same year.
The central criminal court is trying to clarify whether there is an allegation of crime against the market and consumers in relation to the alleged artificial increase in electricity prices in the winter of 2013, and the case names as defendants Iberdrola Generación and its four directors at the time. . and employees.
In his statements to the energy commission of the Congress of Deputies in January 2014, Soria touched on the increase in the energy component. December electricity tenderIt was canceled with the withdrawal of planned budget contributions to the electricity system.
That day, Soria assured that the wholesale market price had increased by 15.8% since the PP submitted the amendment on November 29, which withdraws the 3.6 billion budget contribution to the system and implies the recognition of a tariff deficit of the same amount in 2013. and the day of the auction, December 19.
In this context, the CNMC decided not to approve the auctionThis led to the Government suspending the application and increasing the rate by 2.3% for the first quarter of the year.
In his statement this Wednesday, Soria reminded that on the same day, that is, December 20, just 24 hours after the auction was suspended, “CNMC prepared a report mentioning the unusual circumstances surrounding the auction.”
He stated that as of the beginning of December, the Ministry “began to detect the following situation”: “prices were increasing at an unusually high rate” and in Industry and Energy “although we followed the evolution of prices, the analysis was the responsibility of the CNMC.”
After CNMC confirms it’s there “unusual conditions at auction“, it was “clear” something was going on in his department, so he acknowledged in his statement that “there was price manipulation.”
Although he claimed not to remember specific details, he explained that a Competition report stated that “offers were lower due to the level in the reservoirs being higher than in previous years, especially compared to 2012, and higher prices.”
The former minister also said the relationship with companies in the sector was “fluid” but emphasized: “Almost all” decisions taken by the executive have been appealed.
Following this increase in the price of electricity, the CNMC opened an administrative file against Iberdrola Generación and fined it 25 million euros – which the company appealed – but declared that it was not a criminal offence.
Anti-corruption demands Approximately 84.9 million euro fine For Iberdrola Generación España, two years in prison, disqualification and a 12-month fine of 400 euros per day for those involved in the case.