The power outages In Chile, the storms have generated a great deal of controversy, especially because some homes are still without electricity for more than a week after the passage of a frontal system. Faced with this situation, the National Consumer Service (Sernac) has intervened to address the possible fines and compensation that those affected could receive. This issue has gained greater relevance after the Government’s announcement about the possible expiration of the contract with Enel and the ultimatum given to other electricity companies.
Andres Herrera, director of the Sernacexplained that a class action lawsuit has already been filed against various electricity companies, and the penalties they could face could reach millions of dollars. The fines, if the companies’ liability is confirmed, could exceed 35 million dollars, according to estimates by Herrera.
These sanctions would be added to the additional compensation that customers would be entitled to receive for losses they suffered, such as damage to electrical devices or health problems in people who are dependent on electricity. As for Enel, which is the main electricity supplier in Santiago, the director of the Sernac He said the company has agreed to submit to the negotiation procedure, which could speed up the compensation process.
However, other companies, such as CGE, have not responded to the call of the Sernacwhich could complicate the situation for its customers. Regarding the compensation that affected households will receive, Sernac has set a deadline of less than three months for this to become effective.
According to Herrera, clients who have suffered power outages They could receive around $45,000 as compensation. However, in more serious cases, where the outages have exceeded five days during the month of August, the compensation could be much more significant, reaching figures of up to $150,000.
