Victoria’s Essential Services Commission has fined an energy retailer for wrongfully cutting off dozens of customers and planning to disconnect another 1,500 in the Australian state. The commission found that 143 customers from Sumo Power and Sumo Gas had their services wrongfully cut off in December 2020. It said that in one particular case, the energy retailer disconnected a customer who was actively involved in a payment plan without warning. The commission also mentioned that another 142 customers were subject to service cut-off before the required six-day warning period had lapsed. “This case illustrates the seriousness of a retailer taking shortcuts and not providing assistance to customers when providing an essential service,” Commission Chair Kate Symons said. “Electricity and gas are essential services and customers should only ever be disconnected by an energy retailer as a last resort and by following the correct procedure.” Symons said the commission discovered through …