The Energy Services Regulatory Authority (ERSE) is empowered, under the Energy Sector Sanctioning Regime, approved by Law No 9/2013 of 28 January (RSSE), to prosecute and punish breaches within the National Electricity System (SEN) and the National Natural Gas System (SNGN).

Furthermore, as sector regulatory authority, ERSE is the administrative authority with legal powers under the statutory instruments that impose sanctions on: i) unfair trading practices; ii) non-compliance with standards related to the provision of promotion, information and support services to consumers and users through call centres; iii) duties related to the complaints book; iv) the scheme applicable to guarantees in supply contracts for consumers of essential public services and v) the use of general contractual clauses classified as being strictly forbidden.

ERSE keeps a record of all complaints submitted to it, and opens administrative offence proceedings where elements referred to in the complaint so require.

Personal data is stored for the period required to ensure that the complaint is processed. If the complaint gives rise to the opening of an administrative offence proceeding, the data storage period corresponds to the administrative offence proceeding’s limitation period plus the sanction’s limitation period, which combined have a limit of fifteen and a half years. For further information, please consult ERSE’s Privacy Policy.

Any natural or legal person who becomes aware of a breach falling within ERSE’s scope of powers may report it, using the form provided for that purpose.