Tuesday 9 July 2013

E.ON “sorry” for lightbulb mistake after £3m fine

Energy supplier E.ON has said "sorry" after coughing up £3million in penalties for claiming it had sent out free energy saving lightbulbs to homes when there was no "appropriate evidence" it had done so.

Ofgem slapped E.ON with the fine after an investigation found it had failed to accurately report the number of energy saving light bulbs it had installed in 2010.

It was obliged to install a certain number of energy saving measures in its customers homes under the carbon emissions reduction target (CERT) between 2008 and 2012.

Now the supplier must pay a £500,000 levy and spend £2.5million on a similar scheme for homeowners called the Warm Homes Discount in 2013/14.

E.ON blamed the shortfall on an "error" in reporting and administrative failings.

In a statement the provider said: "Some E.ON bulbs destined for Great Britain ended up in the Republic of Ireland and, in respect of other bulbs, E.ON was not able to provide appropriate evidence of their actual distribution."

Tony Cocker, chief executive of E.ON UK said: "We're sorry that these mistakes were made in 2010 and Ofgem has received a Board level assurance that the necessary changes have been made. Our controls should have been stronger and our processes more robust."

He added: "No consumers were misled because of this mistake but this does not take away from the fact it was an error that should not have been made."