Press Release

HARRISBURG, Pa. - The Public Utility Commission (PUC) today released its annual evaluation on the customer service performance of the state’s major jurisdictional electric, gas, water and telephone companies.

A summary of the 1998 Utility Consumer Activities Report and Evaluation is attached.

"It is important for consumers to see how well their utility is responding to their questions and concerns," said Mitch Miller, director of the PUC’s Bureau of Consumer Services (BCS). "The report allows them to compare their utility’s performance from year to year. At the same time, utilities can use the report to see how they fare compared to other utilities within their industry."

Much of the data in the report stems from the evaluation of consumer contacts to BCS. Contacts fall into three categories: consumer complaints, payment arrangement requests and inquiries. These contacts may pertain to electric, gas, water, wastewater, and steam heat or telephone service.

In 1998, BCS received 123,678 consumer contacts: 13,311 consumer complaints, 50,735 payment arrangement requests and 59,632 inquires. The 59,632 inquiries included more than 30,000 calls to the PUC’s Competition Hotline.

In addition to a review of consumer contacts to the BCS, this year’s report also includes reviews of the assistance programs that help low income customers maintain

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their utility service. Chapter 7 discusses Customer Assistance Programs, Dollar Share, A Helping Hand, Low-Income Rate, CARES Programs, the Low Income Usage Reduction Program, Utility Hardship Fund Programs, Link-Up America, Lifeline Service, and the Universal Telephone Assistance Program.

Copies of the full report are available from the PUC’s Press Office, Room 101, North Office Building and will soon be on the PUC’s website at http://puc.paonline.com.

For further information, contact Mitch Miller, director of the Bureau of Consumer Services at (717) 783-1661.

Utility Consumer Activities Report and Evaluation

Electric, Gas, Water and Telephone Utilities

Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission

(This is the Summary of the Report for 1998)

This report presents an overview of the 1998 performance of the major electric, gas, water and telephone utilities under the Public Utility Commission’s jurisdiction. Much of the data in this report stems from the evaluation of consumer contacts to the Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Services (BCS).

In addition to a review of consumer contacts to the BCS, this year’s report also includes reviews of the assistance programs that help low income customers maintain their utility service. Chapter 7 discusses Customer Assistance Programs (CAPs), Dollar Share, A Helping Hand, Low-Income Rate, CARES Programs, the Low Income Usage Reduction Program (LIURP), Utility Hardship Fund Programs, Link-Up America, Lifeline Service, and the Universal Telephone Assistance Program (UTAP).

Chapter 8 presents an overview of the activities of the Commission’s Consumer Education program in 1998. This chapter also highlights the work of the PUC Consumer Advisory Council and the Pennsylvania Relay Service Advisory Board.

Contacts regarding this report should be with Mitchell Miller, Director, Bureau of Consumer Services, (717) 783-1661.

Bureau of Consumer Services Highlights for 1998

Consumer Contacts to the BCS

• Customer contacts with the Bureau of Consumer Services fall into three categories: consumer complaints, payment arrangement requests and inquiries. These contacts may pertain to electric, gas, water, sewer, steam heat or telephone service.

• The BCS recorded information from 123,678 consumer contacts in 1998: 13,311 consumer complaints; 50,735 payment arrangement requests and 59,632 inquiries. The inquiries included more than 36,000 calls to the PUC’s Competition Hotline.

• In order to assess consumers’ perception of the quality of the complaint handling service, the BCS surveys a sample of consumers who have contacted the Bureau with a consumer complaint or a payment arrangement request.

• Eighty-seven percent of the consumers who responded to the survey reported that they would contact the PUC again if they were to have another problem with a utility that they could not settle by talking with the utility. Over 85% of the respondents rated the service they received from the BCS as "good" or "excellent."

Highlights of Industry Performance