ROME (Reuters) -Italy's data protection authority on Thursday fined a unit of the country's largest utility Enel (BIT:ENEI) more than 79 million euros ($85 million), accusing it of mishandling customers' personal data for telemarketing.
The authority, known as the Garante, said in a statement that Enel Energia allegedly used the personal data of customers in connection with at least 9,300 contracts to unlawfully promote its energy and gas services.
It added that Enel Energia had also allegedly acquired the personal data of 978 users from four companies outside its sales network.
The fine, the largest the Garante has ever issued, follows an inquiry by the Italian financial police into the four companies, which the Garante fined 1.8 million euros in June, seizing some of their databases.
The watchdog also said that Enel Energia's customer management and service activation information systems showed "serious security shortcomings".
Enel Energia said in a statement it had always acted correctly and taken "all suitable measures" to ensure the security of its systems and respect data protection rules.
It said it considered itself the injured party in the case, and would appeal against the decision.
($1 = 0.9251 euros)