官方通报“重庆燃气收费异常”：拟处罚金810万

Core Viewpoint - The Chongqing Gas Group has been found to have serious issues with gas billing practices, leading to a proposed fine of 8.1 million yuan due to inadequate rectification measures and violations of consumer rights [1][3]. Group 1: Investigation Findings - Since January 2025, citizens have reported abnormal gas billing by Chongqing Gas Group, prompting an investigation by the Chongqing Market Supervision Administration and the Economic Information Commission [1]. - The investigation revealed that the company failed to learn from previous issues identified in April 2024, leading to ongoing problems such as irregular meter reading cycles and improper billing practices [1][2]. - A total of 7,198 complaints were processed, with 1,073 households visited for verification, and over 240 million data entries analyzed [1]. Group 2: Specific Issues Identified - Meter reading cycles were found to be inconsistent, with 7.54% of cycles being less than 25 days or exceeding 90 days, causing fluctuating gas bills for consumers [1]. - The company engaged in "zero estimation" practices, where 227,200 households had their gas usage estimated as zero for two months, leading to unexpected high bills when actual usage was charged [2]. - There were also instances of "high estimation" where the estimated gas usage exceeded the previous year's highest monthly usage for 31,100 households, resulting in overestimation of 711,100 cubic meters and pre-collection of approximately 1.56 million yuan [2]. Group 3: Operational Deficiencies - The company has not sufficiently increased its workforce, with only 607 additional meter readers hired since April 2024, leading to an average of over 4,500 households per reader each month [2]. - The preparation for adjusting billing cycles was inadequate, resulting in 11,200 households receiving two gas bills in January 2025, causing confusion among consumers [3]. - The Chongqing Gas Group's failure to implement corrective measures has led to violations of consumer protection laws, prompting regulatory authorities to impose a significant fine and mandate immediate corrective actions [3].