Press Release

PUC Seeks Comments on Proposed Settlement with National Gas & Electric LLC Regarding Company’s Sales and Marketing Practices

Published on 10/27/2022

Filed under: Electric

Proposal Includes Changes to Operating Procedures, Customer Refunds and a Civil Penalty for Possible Bill Overcharges and Unauthorized Enrollments

HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) today issued for comment a proposed settlement between the PUC’s independent Bureau of Investigation & Enforcement (I&E) and National Gas & Electric LLC (NG&E) stemming from alleged fraudulent, deceptive and unlawful conduct related to NG&E’s sales and marketing practices as a licensed electric generation supplier (EGS) in Pennsylvania.

The Commission voted 5-0 to issue for comment the proposed Joint Petition for Approval of Settlement between the Parties, providing an opportunity for interested parties to file comments before the Commission considers a final Opinion and Order on the matter.  The proposed settlement resolves the informal complaint proceeding initiated by I&E based on information referred to I&E by the Commission’s Office of Competitive Market Oversight (OCMO). 

OCMO had notified I&E of six informal complaints made by NG&E’s customers in Pennsylvania regarding possible overcharges or unauthorized enrollments, and also reported other similar informal complaints that were filed with the PUC’s Bureau of Consumer Services.

Under the settlement agreement, NG&E agrees to the following terms and conditions:

• Pay a civil penalty of $15,250. No amount of the civil penalty may be passed through as an additional charge to NG&E’s Pennsylvania customers.
  
  
• Modify its operating procedures as a safeguard against future instances of unauthorized customer enrollments, deceptive marketing and sales practices, unauthorized persons acting on behalf of a customer, and initiating the verification process before finalizing the transaction process.
  
  
• Provide a refund to each customer who was invalidly enrolled with NG&E – with the refund equal to the customer’s first two months of electric supply charges.
  
  
• Provide I&E with monthly reports on the company’s customer complaint data for a minimum of one year – to include the number of complaints received by NG&E directly from customers in Pennsylvania related to allegations of overbilling, slamming and/or fraudulent, deceptive or other unlawful marketing and sales of EGS products and/or services by NG&E or its agent.

Interested parties may submit comments, preferably via the Commission’s electronic filing system, within 25 days of publication of this Opinion and Order in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.  An eFile account may be opened free of charge and used through the Commission’s website.

Paper comments may be filed with the PUC’s Secretary’s Bureau at the following address:

          Rosemary Chiavetta, Secretary
          Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission
          Commonwealth Keystone Building
          400 North Street
          Harrisburg, PA  17120

The PUC balances the needs of consumers and utilities; ensures safe and reliable utility service at reasonable rates; protects the public interest; educates consumers to make independent and informed utility choices; furthers economic development; and fosters new technologies and competitive markets in an environmentally sound manner.

For recent news releases and video of select Commission proceedings or more information about the PUC, visit our website at www.puc.pa.gov. Follow the PUC on Twitter – @PA_PUC for all things utility.  “Like” Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission on Facebook for easy access to information on utility issues.

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Docket No.:        M-2022-2633098

Contact:

• David Hixson
  Deputy Press Secretary
  717-772-2766
  dhixson@pa.gov