France's first independent gas and electricity supplier, Poweo, has reportedly filed a complaint against the government's recent decree on gas prices.
The Dow Jones news agency reports that Poweo has lodged its appeal with the Conseil d’Etat, France’s highest court of administration. Poweo is unhappy with the state’s ratification of a proposal to freeze natural gas tariffs during the 2005/6 winter period.
The independent utility argues that the government’s move to freeze tariffs goes against its own legislation passed in the summer of 2005, which provided for a quarterly review of regulated gas prices based on market conditions.
The government went against its own regulation, a Poweo spokesman told Dow Jones. The supplier is hoping that the Conseil d’Etat will suspend implementation of the freeze.