Press Release

HARRISBURG– A Virginia-based electric generation supplier has agreed to pay $45,000 to settle charges by the Public Utility Commission (PUC) that it illegally slammed 19 customers and over-billed 81, according to a settlement tentatively approved today by the Commission.

ACN Energy will pay $15,000 for allegedly switching customers without their authorization and $30,000 for allegedly over-charging customers. Penalties are paid into the Commonwealth’s General Fund.

Between June 2000 and November 2001, approximately 135 informal complaints were filed against ACN Energy with the PUC’s Bureau of Consumer Services, which led the PUC’s Law Bureau to investigate ACN Energy. The Law Bureau concluded that ACN Energy may have violated several provisions of the Public Utility Code.

Under the terms of the settlement, ACN Energy also will:

• Improve its practices and procedures to assure compliance with the Public Utility Code;
• Verify that customers entitled to receive credits for overcharges have received the correct refund; and
• Commit to educating telemarketers on the PUC’s requirement that direct oral confirmation or written authorization be received before changing a consumer’s electric generation supplier.

The PUC voted 4-1 to approve the settlement, with Commissioner Aaron Wilson Jr. dissenting. Commission Wilson also issued a statement.

After today’s order is officially entered, parties to the case have 15 days to submit comments or file exceptions. If no comments are filed opposing the settlement, the tentative order will become a final order.