Retail Supplier Agrees To In-Person Marketing Moratorium, Would Pay $400,000 Under Assurance Of Voluntary Compliance

Town Square Energy, LLC ("TSE") would make a payment of $400,000 and agrees to a moratorium on in-person marketing under an Assurance of Voluntary Compliance (the "Assurance") entered into with the Commissioner of the Department of Consumer Protection of the State of Connecticut, the Attorney General for the State of Connecticut, the Office of Consumer Counsel ("OCC"), and the Office of Education, Outreach, and Enforcement of the Connecticut PURA

The Assurance would fully resolve an investigation into TSE under PURA Docket No. 10-03-11 RE03

A Town Square Energy spokesperson provided the following statement concerning the matter:

"Town Square Energy is pleased to close out this lengthy investigation by the Connecticut PURA and other public agencies. We believe the record reflects that Town Square Energy maintains a strong compliance culture, investigates all alleged violations promptly and decisively, and corrects vendors and provides relief to our customers where warranted. We worked cooperatively with PURA and the public agencies on a voluntary settlement that will enable us to focus on providing value and choice to Connecticut consumers, as we seek to do in all of our markets."

--- Statement from a Town Square Energy spokesperson

On September 26, 2018, PURA had opened Docket No. 10-03-11 RE03 to investigate a variety of customer complaints against TSE, including alleged marketing violations related to: a) unauthorized switching of customers; b) TSE employees misrepresenting potential savings; c) delaying enrollments; d) TSE employees purporting to be representatives of Eversource Energy; and e) other violations of Conn. Gen. Stat. § 16-245o by making unfair, misleading, and deceptive misrepresentations in its marketing. See background on the proceeding here

TSE, without making any admission of wrongdoing, agrees to abide by the terms and conditions of the Assurance

Without any admissions of wrongdoing and without the Department making any findings of wrongdoing, TSE under the Assurance shall make a voluntary payment of $400,000 to Operation Fuel

Additionally, under the Assurance, TSE shall voluntarily cease all in-person marketing, including door-to-door and tabletop sales, for a period of 15 months after the effective date of the Assurance

The Assurance also provides for TSE to file a compliance program with PURA, and to provide quarterly reports on marketing and compliance

The Assurance notes that, "This Assurance is made without trial or adjudication of fact or law and neither the fact of, nor any provision contained in, this Assurance shall constitute, or be construed as an admission by TSE for any purpose, of any fact or of any violation of any state law, rule, or regulation. This Assurance does not constitute evidence of any liability, fault, or wrongdoing by TSE; or an approval, sanction, or authorization by the Department of any act or practice of TSE."