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.