Press Release

PUC Seeks Public Comment on Proposed Settlement with UGI – Gas Division

Published on 5/8/2025

Filed under: Gas

Agreement Centers on the Company’s Alleged Failure to Properly Notify Customers Prior to Termination of Residential Gas Service in 2022, 2023

HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) today moved to seek public comment on a proposed settlement with UGI Utilities Inc. – Gas Division (UGI) related to the company’s failure to properly notify customers prior to the termination of residential gas service in 2022 and 2023.

The Commission voted 5-0 to seek comment on a Joint Petition for Approval of Settlement proposed by the PUC’s independent Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement (I&E) and UGI.  This matter concerns UGI’s failure to comply with the PUC’s regulations at Chapter 56 involving the personal customer contact requirement prior to termination of residential gas service.

The proposed settlement will be published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin, which will mark the start of a 25-day public comment period regarding the settlement.  Full instructions for submitting public comment will be provided when the proposed settlement is published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.

The Commission will carefully review all comments received before issuing a final decision on this case.

Proposed Settlement Between I&E and UGI

The proposed settlement between I&E and UGI includes:

• The company will pay a civil penalty of $90,000. The civil penalty shall not be tax deductible and shall not be passed through as an additional charge to UGI’s customers in Pennsylvania.
  
  
• Acknowledgement that UGI refunded all reconnection fees collected from affected customers. Under PUC regulations, public utilities can only charge this fee prior to reconnection of service following the lawful termination of service.
  
  
• UGI has instituted a series of corrective measures and programmatic changes, including but not limited to addressing issues with its auto-dialer system and implementing multiple additional overall procedural steps to ensure compliance, including a daily manual review of dialer logs.

A copy of the Commission’s order and the proposed settlement are also being provided to the Pennsylvania Office of Consumer Advocate and Pennsylvania Office of Small Business Advocate for their consideration.

Investigation of UGI Issues

Following several customer complaints and subsequent referral from the PUC’s Bureau of Consumer Services, I&E began an informal investigation into UGI’s compliance with Chapter 56 regulations involving the personal contact requirement prior to the termination of residential service. 

The investigation found that UGI failed to make personal contact at least three days prior to terminating residential service for 3,345 customers during the March 2022 incident and 612 in April 2023 – for a total of 3,957 customers.

Additionally, the investigation established that UGI had charged a reconnection fee to customers prior to the reconnection of service even though the initial termination of service was not lawful, for 1,883 customers during the March 2022 Incident and 74 in April 2023 – for a total of 1,957 customers. 

The proposed agreement between the two parties also notes that during settlement discussions in July 2023, UGI self-reported to I&E additional lapses with its auto-dialer system making or attempting to make personal contact prior to the termination of residential service.  These additional incidents had occurred in April 2023.

About the PUC

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission 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.

Visit the PUC’s website at puc.pa.gov for recent news releases and video of select proceedings. You can also follow us on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube. Search for the “Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission” or “PA PUC” on your favorite social media channel for updates on utility issues and other helpful consumer information.

# # #

Docket No.: M-2025-3032708

Contact:

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