Troubled electricty giant EDF Energy has been fined £2m for poor customer service.

The electricity provider, which provides power to homes across Kent, is being forced by energy regulator Ofgem to pay the sum.

It is said the company failed to meet statutory timescales for providing offers to customers requesting a connection to its electricity networks.

The news comes after a week in which power was lost to more than 90,000 homes in north Kent and south London, after vandals are said to have tampered with a cable at Dartford.

It took more than three days to restore a full service to its customers.

Now it is in the doghouse for the breach - which came after a warning from Ofgem.

A statement from the regulator said there was a requirement for the energy firm to provide a service within three months of a customer's request.

Ofgem's invesigation found that, since 2006, EDF failed to meet the deadline in more than 100 cases.

Sarah Harrison, Ofgem's managing director, corporate affairs, said: "Customers should not have to accept poor service in any part of the energy market.

"All energy company should be in no doubt that if they are failing to offer good customer service Ofgem will take tough regulatory action."

She said EDF had now taken action to improve its service, and had already paid £450,000 in compensation to affected customers.