Holaluz announced this week that it is ending its gas marketing business. This is not an isolated incident, the energy crisis is taking a toll on many. small electricity and gas companies. Some go bankrupt, others sell their assets, and others decide to stop selling a product, as with the Catalan power company. “The crisis has revealed the truth” weak liberalization and low competition what do we have If a crisis comes and only the big survive, it’s one of ours. this is not working“, explains the energy expert of the Consumers and Users Organization (OCU), Javier Arranz.
Holaluz’s decision may be extended provided it occurs after the Government’s decision to limit quarterly increases in the regulated rate or TUR. since September last year (blank creator) low gas bills something that makes it impossible for small companies to submit an offer free rate Which one will it compete with?
As electricity and gas Holaluz, Fenie Energia, Aldro Energia or Factor Energia they carved a niche for themselves by scratching customers from large groups. vertically integrated (companies production and marketing subsidiaries). They have come to exceed 10% of the free electricity market share and gas 5%. But in 2021, the crisis reversed the trend. leave your contracts and the rise of Iberdrola, Endesa, Naturgy and EDP. In the last two years approximately hundred independent companies It has ceased operations in Spain, according to the National Commission on Markets and Competition (CNMC).
The first effects began to be noticed in the past year. liquidity And in guarantee that they have to invest in the electrical system operator, Electricity Grid. CNMC smoothed out the second of the problems by reducing the requirements. However, success was not achieved with liquidity. and this Association of Independent Marketers (ACIE) asking since the end of last year ICO approvals timeline special. These companies they get electricity they only bill every week after about 5 weeks, so a similar price increase is recorded on their balance. VAT (They buy the energy at 21%, but bill at 5% due to the reduction in the bill, and they do it weeks later, although the Treasury refunds the difference).
“We want you to let us everyone competes equally and measures of an economic nature, and easing liquidity and financial tensions of marketers” summarizes in an email from the president of the Association of Independent Marketers (ACIE), Asier Gorostiza.
Destruction of the competition
In September last year, the Government announced that nuclear and renewable energies unexpected benefits to return this money with high gas prices. The aim is to increase the estimated collection for the first three months of the year. €2.6 billion, used to lower electricity bill. However, this rule was changed a few weeks later to: exempt those who have contracts at a fixed price of less than 67 euros per megawatt-hour, After the big companies that claimed they had no extraordinary interests were reported.
This change caused collection is minimal. Third Vice President and Minister for Ecological Transition, Theresa RiveraIt estimated at 340 million euros in May and that the measure was offers Sun This is over 67 Euros per MWh. But independent marketers complain that it’s not helping. everyone consumers, but Just a few” and produce first-class and second-class consumers. according to your calculations ACIE59% of users will pay a price of 67 Euros per MWh, the remaining 41% will pay almost five times more.
“Grownups have more energy in this style and attract customers (rather than making electricity cheaper for those who already have it), while the smaller ones have to buy energy from the market (with prices between 150-250 Euros per megawatt-hour)” he explains. Javier Bescoeditorial director Fenie Energy. September 2021 rule was also required Iberdrola, Endesa, Naturgy and EDP will sell 25% of their nuclear and renewable energies also Independent marketers and major customers industries to reduce this inequality. But i never started because great energy they say they have almost all The energy has already been sold.