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Connecticut State Senator Presses PURA On Creation Of "Claims Process" Regarding Inaccurate Retail Supplier Rates

December 31, 2018

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Copyright 2010-17 EnergyChoiceMatters.com
Reporting by Paul Ring • ring@energychoicematters.com

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In response to a final Connecticut PURA decision on changes to the Supply Summary Information requirements applicable to retail suppliers, including dropping customers to default service for missing info in certain instances (see details here), Connecticut State Senator Len Suzio wrote in a letter to PURA that he was "sorely disappointed" that PURA did not institute a claims process related to inaccurate billing rates in such decision.

"I have reviewed your final decision in the above referenced matter. I support most of the content of your decision although it is disappointing that it may be another year before Connecticut residents will be receiving utility bills they can be confident are reliable and accurate. I encourage the Authority to be adamant about the content and format of the bill warning about possible inaccuracies until the new programming and systems are in place," Suzio wrote

"I am sorely disappointed by the Authority's failure to mandate a clearly explained claims process. As I related to the Authority, my experience to seek restitution of my overcharges was time-consuming and difficult. The claims process was very nebulous," Suzio wrote

Suzio alleged in his letter that, "I approached Eversource and they referred me to Spark. We approached Spark and they referred us to Eversource. My initial phone call to Spark Energy lasted nearly 50 minutes and I spoke to 4 different Spark representative with nothing resolved. I then took the initiative to contact Spark by e-mail with an explanation of my overcharges and attachments of the bills containing the inconsistent rate information I had received. I received no response until I had the assistance of Frank Auger [sic], Lead Rate Specialist Consumer Affairs Division of the Authority. Mr. Augeri received a commitment from Spark to refund my overcharges completely, but when I received payment it was not for the full amount Spark had committed to Mr. Augeri and there was no explanation to account for the discrepancy. Only after a second intervention by Mr. Augeri did I receive a complete reimbursement of my overcharges."

Suzio wrote that, "This experience is clear proof that a conspicuous claims process needs to be mandated by the Authority for the good of Connecticut consumers whose interests are supposed to be protected by the Authority. I don't know what can be done at this juncture, but I urge the Authority to do something to mandate a clearly written claims process that should be distributed to Connecticut consumers."

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