ASEP hits Naturgy distributors with over B/.68 million in quality fines

On 12 June 2026, ASEP announced fines totaling more than B/.68.2 million against Naturgy distributors EDEMET and EDECHI for service-quality indicator breaches recorded from 2019 through 2024.

The sanctions follow a technical and legal review of repeated quality failures affecting users. ASEP stated the fines will not be passed into customer electricity tariffs. The goal is framed as forcing infrastructure fixes and better service quality. The initial communiqué did not fully detail the per-company split or every specific indicator.

What it means for daily life: Direct regulatory pressure on the Panama City / Panama Oeste and Chiriquí networks many expats depend on for home offices and air conditioning — without ASEP saying your bill goes up because of these fines.

Sources

• ASEP — fines over B/.68.2M
• La Estrella — Naturgy EDEMET/EDECHI fines

Fine amounts and appeals status can change; ASEP says tariffs are not increased by these sanctions.