Price regulation cannot be taboo, says energy ombudsman

Faced with soaring energy prices, price regulation cannot be a taboo, judged the federal energy ombudsman, Eric Houtman, on Tuesday on Radio 2 (VRT).

Public authorities can and must do more to contain energy prices, according to the ombudsman. This can be done in three ways, according to him. “First, by extending the social tariff, second by freezing prices and finally by betting on renewable energies and storage capacitiesIn passing, the regulator indicated that its mediation services had already exceeded the (annual) record of 16,000 complaints received this year.