Retailers

The role of E-REDES

E-REDES is the distribution network operator for High and Medium Voltage, by the concession of the State, and Low Voltage, by concessions of municipalities, and has the role of applying, managing, and implementing processes involving access to networks, particularly connection, maintenance/intervention, and disconnection. 
Under the terms of Decree-Law no. 38/2017, dated March 31, the OLMC, the Change of Supplier Logistics Operator, is responsible for applying, managing, and implementing the change of supplier, ensuring that this happens under the same conditions for all agents in the market, complying with the procedures and deadlines defined by the Energy Services Regulatory Authority (ERSE).

ADENE — The Agency for Energy currently carries out this role for OLMC.

Customers have a free choice of suppliers.

Whenever a customer enters into a supply contract with a new supplier, it is the body that is in charge of triggering the necessary procedures for a change of supplier to take place.

The periods for change of supplier were approved by the Energy Services Regulatory Authority through directive No. 15/2018, available at www.erse.pt.

See the history of change in supplier reports,

•    from 2013 to 2017;
•    from 2018 inclusive .

Process Flowcharts

The Commercial Relations Regulation (RRC) establishes that the procedures and deadlines to be adopted in the management of the process approved by the Energy Services Regulatory Authority. 

Regulation
 
The regulation approved by the Energy Services Regulatory Authority establishes the principle of verification of compliance with the procedures of change of supplier by carrying out independent auditing by an external entity. 

Under the terms approved by the Energy Services Regulatory Authority, in 2014 an audit was performed to comply with the rules and procedures relating to the change of supplier. The audit was carried out by Deloitte, focusing on the processes of change of supplier that took place between 1 April 2013 and 31 March 2014.  
 
The audit summary report, approved by the Energy Services Regulatory Authority, includes information on the following matters: audit objectives and scope; description of the works undertaken; summary of conclusions and recommendations. E-REDES published its position on the results of the audit.

Specification of electronic messages

The processes of change of supplier and availability of data are supported by a set of electronic messages exchanged between the various stakeholders involved.

See the specification and standardization of electronic message formats.