Privacy Policy and Customer Data Protection
Ethiopian Electric Utility Portal
Version 1.0|Effective December 20251Introduction
Ethiopian Electric Utility (EEU) is fundamentally committed to protecting the privacy, security, and confidentiality of personal information or data as defined in Article 2(2) and (5) of the Personal Data Protection Proclamation (Proclamation No. 1321/2016).
This policy describes how the EEU and its concerned work units collect, encode, encrypt, use, transfer, disclose, and protect the data subject from unauthorized access and disclosure.
2Scope of Application
This policy applies to all personal information or data collected by EEU through its digital platforms, including:
- Websites and mobile applications
- Call centers
- Any data processes associated with customer service and operational activities
- Official third-party platforms such as Messenger, WhatsApp Business, and Facebook pages
- Analytics, cookies, or tracking technologies used on the EEU website and integrated systems
3Collection of Personal Information
Data the EEU collects is information necessary for our legitimate utility operations, customer service, and regulatory compliance. We aim to collect only the minimum data required for each specific purpose.
| Data Category | Purpose of Collection | Specific Data Elements Collected |
|---|---|---|
| Customer Interaction | To register, track, and resolve customer complaints and service requests | Name, Physical Address, Contact Information (phone/email), Business Partner Number (Contract Account Number) |
| Billing and Account Access | To allow customers to check current and historical electricity bills | Contract Account Number |
| Integrity and Reporting | To facilitate the reporting of unethical conduct or corruption | Contact Number (optional, used for follow-up) |
| Service Improvement | To analyze customer service trends, personalize communications, and identify areas for system upgrades and service enhancement | Aggregated and anonymized usage data |
| Technical and Security | To maintain system security, prevent fraud, and ensure platform reliability | IP addresses, device identifiers, browser type, access logs |
Data Category
Customer Interaction
Purpose of Collection
To register, track, and resolve customer complaints and service requests
Specific Data Elements Collected
Name, Physical Address, Contact Information (phone/email), Business Partner Number (Contract Account Number)
Data Category
Billing and Account Access
Purpose of Collection
To allow customers to check current and historical electricity bills
Specific Data Elements Collected
Contract Account Number
Data Category
Integrity and Reporting
Purpose of Collection
To facilitate the reporting of unethical conduct or corruption
Specific Data Elements Collected
Contact Number (optional, used for follow-up)
Data Category
Service Improvement
Purpose of Collection
To analyze customer service trends, personalize communications, and identify areas for system upgrades and service enhancement
Specific Data Elements Collected
Aggregated and anonymized usage data
Data Category
Technical and Security
Purpose of Collection
To maintain system security, prevent fraud, and ensure platform reliability
Specific Data Elements Collected
IP addresses, device identifiers, browser type, access logs
4How We Use Your Information
EEU uses personal information only for lawful purposes directly related to its utility operations and customer service functions:
- Service Delivery:To process service requests, manage accounts, and deliver electricity services
- Billing and Payments:To generate bills, process payments, and manage account balances
- Customer Support:To respond to inquiries, complaints, and service requests via call center, email, or digital platforms
- Communication:To send service updates, power interruption notices, and important announcements
- Improvement:To analyze usage patterns and improve our services and platforms
- Security:To detect and prevent fraud, unauthorized access, and other security threats
- Legal Compliance:To comply with applicable laws, regulations, and legal processes
5Third-Party Sharing
EEU may share your information with third parties only in the following circumstances:
- Legal Requirements:When required by law, court order, governmental authority, or contractual commitment
- Service Providers:To trusted contractors/partners who support EEU operations such as payment processing and IT maintenance, under strict confidentiality and data-use agreements
- Meta Platforms (Facebook):We use Meta APIs for social media integration and sharing features. When you interact with these features, Meta may collect information in accordance with their privacy policy
- Analytics Providers:We use analytics services to understand website usage patterns
6Data Security and Protection
EEU deploys robust administrative, technical, and organizational measures to protect your personal information or data from preventable accidental loss, unauthorized access, disclosure, transfer, alteration, or destruction. These include:
- Role-based access controls for authorized personnel only
- Encryption of sensitive information both in transit and at rest
- Regular security monitoring and vulnerability assessments
- Secure data storage and audit controls
7Data Retention
We retain personal information only for the period necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy or to meet legal, regulatory, or operational requirements.
After the legal and contractual data retention period expires, the data will be securely erased or deleted, anonymized, or archived in accordance with EEU's data-retention policy and schedule.
8Your Rights (Data Subject Rights)
EEU customers have the following rights regarding personal information or data, subject to legal and regulatory restrictions:
Right to Access
Access personal data controlled by EEU upon request and free of charge
Right to Rectification
Request free of charge rectification of personal data where you believe that the personal data is inaccurate, incomplete, misleading, not up-to-date, or is otherwise being processed contrary to applicable law or contractual agreement
Right to Object
Object in writing to certain types of data processing by the data controller or processor where the latter processes in violation of their legal limits
Right to Data Portability
Receive personal data concerning you, which you have provided to a data controller or data processor, in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format
Right to Lodge a Complaint
Submit a complaint to the appropriate supervisory authority regarding our improper data-handling practices
Other Rights
Exercise other rights and entitlements emanating from applicable law or contractual clauses
9Data Deletion Instructions
If you wish to request deletion of your personal data from our systems, you can:
Contact our 24/7 Call Center at 905
info@ethiopianelectricutility.gov.et
(Subject: "Data Deletion Request")
Submit a written request to our head office
10Data Breach Notification Procedure
EEU is committed to responding promptly and transparently to any incident that may compromise or violate personal data. In the event of a data breach involving unauthorized access, loss, or disclosure of personal information, the following procedures will be followed:
Detection and Assessment
- All suspected breaches are immediately reported to the EEU Security Operations and Data Protection Teams
- An internal investigation will be conducted to determine the nature, scope, severity, accountability and potential impact of the breach
Containment and Mitigation
- EEU will take immediate steps to contain the breach, prevent further unauthorized access, and secure affected systems
- Technical and operational measures may include access revocation, system isolation, password resets, or temporary shutdowns of affected services
Notification to Affected Customers
If the breach is likely to result in harm, identity theft, service disruption, or risks to personal rights, EEU shall notify affected customers and the regulatory body within 72 hours after having become aware of the breach. Notifications will be made via SMS, phone calls, email, website alerts, or official announcements.
Notification to Authorities
EEU will notify the breach to appropriate supervisory or regulatory authority in accordance with Article 43 of the Proclamation promptly.
11Changes to This Privacy Policy
We reserve the right to modify this policy at any time. Updates will be posted on our official website. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically.
12Contact Information
Ethiopian Electric Utility (EEU)
- Business Name: Ethiopian Electric Utility
- App Name: EEU Portal
- Call Center: 905 (24/7 Service)
- Email: info@ethiopianelectricutility.gov.et
- Website: https://www.eeu.gov.et
13Consent
By using our Portal and Services, you hereby consent to our Privacy Policy and agree to its terms in accordance with the Personal Data Protection Proclamation (Proclamation No. 1321/2016).