Domi has experienced first-hand what it is like to live without energy when she and her two young children were cut off for a month and half during the Christmas period. She is an activist at Alliance Against Energy Poverty (APE), a social movement dedicated to ensuring universal access to basic water and energy services. Domi joined them in 2015 to campaign for a law to ban energy supply cuts for vulnerable families in Catalonia.

She was cut off from her energy supply because of a single unpaid bill, but once she paid it, she found out the energy provider had fully disconnected her from the grid without any form of notification, and was now charging her additional reconnection fees. When she refused to pay these unexpected and unjustified fees, the company sent her threatening and demeaning messages. Realising the energy supplier was using abusive practices, she contacted the ombudsman which helped her to get the fees cancelled.

Nearly ten years on, Domi is campaigning with APE to make sure the law on banning disconnections is implemented properly, and energy companies are held accountable for their role in the energy crisis.

What is needed for change?

No more energy disconnections! Vulnerable and low-income households have to be fully protected from electricity disconnections to ensure they can cover their basic needs. The new EU revision of the electricity market design includes the prohibition of disconnections for vulnerable households, and it is now up to Member States to ensure it will be implemented correctly.