31/10/2023

On 26 October, ERSE - the Energy Regulatory Service - made a presentation to the elderly community at the Nossa Senhora da Luz Parish Social Centre in A dos Cunhados, Torres Vedras, as part of the “Senior Census” operation organised by the National Republican Guard (GNR).

The awareness-raising campaign was organised by the Crime Prevention and Community Policing Department of the Torres Vedras Territorial Unit, as part of the Cooperation Protocol concluded between ERSE and GNR.The aim of the initiative was to answer elderly people’s questions about the energy sector and to alert them to possible crimes or scams in this area.
In a well-attended session, attended by around 50 senior citizens, the main questions were about electricity contracts and cancellation periods in case of reconsideration, meter reading and the social tariff, as well as suggestions on how to pay bills and how to deal with face-to-face or telephone approaches from alleged energy suppliers.

GNR’s “Senior Census” operation takes place during the month of October, covering the whole of Portugal and targeting a total of more than 45 thousand senior citizens. Every year, ERSE participates in this neighbourhood policing operation by taking part in information meetings and by publishing a leaflet containing a range of advice on electricity and natural gas, as well as GNR’s tips on safety behaviour for senior citizens.
The cooperation protocol between ERSE and GNR was signed in 2021 and aims to develop joint actions and initiatives to combat energy illiteracy and to identify abusive or unfair practices by energy market operators towards consumers, especially the most vulnerable.

Access the leaflet.