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View Full Version : Energy law approved



NewsWhore
01-11-2007, 05:40 PM
Yesterday the Senate approved a modification to the General Energy Law in two consecutive readings. The project will now be sent to the Chamber of Deputies for review and final congressional approval. The legislation, through clause 125-1, also includes penalties and fines for individuals and companies consuming more than 1,000 kWh who are found stealing or defrauding the electric companies. The legislation also specifies that the energy distributors cannot deny anyone a new contract, even if the property in question has an outstanding debt.
In case the energy distributors make an error in energy consumption or billing, the consumer will be compensated with 10 times the value of the kilowatts per hour that was erroneously billed. When energy stolen equals less than 1,000 kilowatts per hour, the penalty will be between three and five minimum salaries and five to 10 days in jail. Theft of more than 1,000 kilowatts per hour will be subject to a fine of 10 minimum salaries. If energy stolen equals more than 2,000 kilowatts per hours, the punishment will be between 10 to 20 minimum salaries and 10 to 20 days in jail. And finally, anyone caught stealing between 20 and 100 kilojoules will be punished with between three months and three years of jail and between 40 and 320 minimum salaries in fines. The bill leaves the lifting of the fraud or theft charge against an individual or company to the discretion of the Electricity Superintendent.

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