The Gas and Electricity Markets Authority ("the Authority") has confirmed its decision to impose a financial penalty on British Gas (BG) for its failure to report accurate supply data as required under the Renewables Obligation for England & Wales and Scotland.
By 1 July each year, electricity suppliers are required to inform the Authority of the amount of electricity supplied to customers in England & Wales and Scotland during the previous obligation period (financial year).
Ofgem’s investigation concerned BG’s reporting of electricity supply data from the first obligation period in 2002-03 to the seventh obligation period in 2008-09.
The Authority found that:
• BG misreported the amount of electricity supplied to customers in England & Wales and Scotland each year from the first obligation period in 2002-03 to the seventh obligation period in 2008-09.
• The misreporting amounted to 0.62% of electricity supplied per year on average; and as a result of the misreporting other market participants suffered an aggregate loss of £2.8m over the 7-year period.
BG took appropriate action to address any market impact caused by the error.
The Authority considered it appropriate to impose a financial penalty for these contraventions. The Authority decided to impose a financial penalty of £1 million on BG.
Further details can be found in the final penalty notice.