German energy firms deny overcharging customers

0 Comments | AFP, April, 2008

BERLIN (AFP) — Leading German electricity providers RWE and E.ON on Sunday rejected charges that they have, along with two other energy companies, overcharged consumers to the tune of hundreds of millions of euros.

"We believe that these charges are without foundation," E.ON spokesman Christian Schneller told AFP.

"It is in our interest to provide energy in an efficient manner."

E.ON was reacting to a report that Germany's electricity market regulator, BNE, had opened a probe into allegations that the country's four main energy companies had overcharged customers by up to 800 million euros (1.3 billion dollars) in 2006 and 2007.

The investigation targets E.ON, RWE, Vattenfall Europe and EnBW, Der Spiegel magazine said in report to appear Monday....