Small energy firm Welkom Energie is the first Dutch victim of soaring gas prices. Its permit to sell gas and electricity has been withdrawn by consumer authority ACM because the company is no longer able to guarantee supplies.

The company’s 90,000 clients have been transferred to Eneco and will get a new contract on the basis of the current high energy prices. They have until December 1 to decide whether to accept the Eneco offer or move elsewhere.

‘We will have all the Welkom Energie client information on Monday and will inform everyone about the fees by the end of next week,’ spokesman Edwin van der Haar said.

Welkom Energie was set up in 2019 by Jaap Bakker who was earlier responsible for Energieflex, a small provider which went bust three years ago.