Kansai Electric Sets Up Task Force over Fraudulent Data Browsing

Osaka, Jan. 31 (Jiji Press)--Kansai Electric Power Co. <9503> said Tuesday that it has set up a task force to investigate the cause of the fraudulent viewing by some employees of client information managed by a subsidiary.

Information on over 40,000 clients of so-called power producers and suppliers, or PPSs, has been fraudulently accessed by 1,013 Kansai Electric employees and others this fiscal year.

Speaking at a press conference, Kansai Electric President Nozomu Mori, who heads the task force, said, "We take this matter seriously as it has undermined fair competition between electricity retailers."

"We deeply apologize for the matter," he said.

Mori said the company will consider punitive actions on employees who were involved. He denied executives' involvement.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]