Respond Power

Good Afternoon,
According to the complaint, the
customer is unhappy with the recent rate being charged.
The customer agreed to a variable
rate contract, meaning the rate would be determined by the energy market.
As has been widely reported,...

there
has been a spike in the wholesale energy market which was reflected on the most
recent bill. This is merely a reflection of the current energy market where a
shrinking supply of electricity is under the strain of massive demand due to
one of the coldest winters on record. We are referring customers to the
February ** press release from the PUC regarding this issue. (Please see
attached)  In addition, this is not just happening in Pennsylvania. 
Please see this link relating to New York prices as well.
[redacted]
Finally, the account has been
canceled and it is now up to the utility to process the cancellation.  Please contact your utility for budget
billing concerns.
We are truly sorry for your
experience and advise you to sign up on a fixed rate that will ensure price
protection.
Regards
 
In addition please see this informative article.
Why Have
Energy Bills Increased – Explaining Price Volatility
It has
been a record cold winter across much of the country, and many have been
expressing deep concern as to why energy bills have been so high. Regardless of
whether energy is purchased from a utility or a competitive energy supplier,
customers have seen electricity and natural gas prices spike in many parts of
the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions.
Why did
prices rise?
Simply
put, the issues at hand are the cold weather, electric grid and natural gas
pipeline capacity, and the increasing use of natural gas not just for heating
purposes, but to create electricity.
There is
ample gas supply in the United States, especially given the boom in shale gas.
What customers are feeling are the results of a strained transportation and
infrastructure system that delivers electricity and gas. When demand is high
and capacity is constrained, costs increase.
This
winter’s “polar vortex” has increased the demand for both natural gas and
electricity, resulting in significant congestion in the natural gas pipelines
and on the electric grid (the highways of the energy system). Everyone relies
on these natural gas pipelines and the electric grid to get energy from where
it is produced to where it is used by the homeowner, the tenant, and the
business owner. Just like only so many cars can efficiently travel along a
highway, only so much natural gas and electricity can move through the natural
gas pipeline system and the electric grid.
Also,
while more and more people are using natural gas directly for heating purposes,
electricity generators are also increasingly using natural gas to produce
affordable power. In the short-term, this electricity generation is putting
further strain on the natural gas capacity in certain parts of the country. At
the same time there are also bottlenecks on some parts of the electric grid,
preventing electricity from getting from the generators to the consumers in an
efficient manner.
It’s
known from economics that constraints on supply (such as not being able to get
gas from where it is plentiful to where it is needed) cause prices to rise, and
this has occurred in the wholesale energy markets. The result? Competitive
energy suppliers and utilities alike are paying higher than normal prices when
purchasing from the wholesale market in order to provide energy to homeowners,
tenants, and business owners. This is causing everyone’s bills to rise.
As the
winter weather gradually improves and temperatures rise, the demand for energy
to heat homes and businesses will decrease, placing less pressure on the
nation’s electricity grid and allowing energy prices from suppliers and
utilities to normalize. However, winter weather may very likely be around for
some weeks to come. Despite the unusual weather, the gas and electric delivery
systems have proven to be highly reliable this winter. A number of new natural
gas pipelines and electricity transmission lines are planned or under
construction which should reduce the chances of a similar price spike in the
future.
In the
meantime, there are some things that can be done to help manage energy bills.
Conserve energy as much as possible. For example, make sure
doors and windows are well insulated, seal any air leaks, and lower the
water temperature setting to 120 degrees on the water heater.
Customers using a competitive supplier and who are on a
variable rate plan or whose fixed contracts have expired, should review
their contract to confirm the accuracy of the pricing and call their
supplier if they have any questions.
Customers interested in price stability can also investigate
fixed price options that many suppliers offer.
Customers in need of financial assistance should investigate
their state’s home heating assistance programs. In many states, a customer
can stay with a competitive supplier and still receive assistance paying
utility bills.
Customers should visit their
state’s “energy shopping” websites to compare offers from different suppliers.
For a list of shopping websites, visit http://www.[redacted].org.

Good Evening,
We are sorry that the customer is dissatisfied with our response.  The customer signed up for a variable rate plan.  We never guarantee savings.  I have attached the customer's application for verification.
Regards,

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me and the matter has been resolved.
Sincerely,
[redacted]

This complaint has been settled.

We apologize for any inconvenience the customer may have experienced. Our customer service center is open Monday-Friday, 9AM-5PM. Customer was able to speak to a representative on 8/**/14. 
Customer's account was enrolled via a door to door salesperson in May of 2012. The account...

was enrolled by account holder's spouse. Unfortunately, the energy market performed very poorly this past winter due to decreases in energy supply and increases in demand due to the cold weather. While suppliers like Major Energy/Respond Power base the rate on a daily rolling average and hedging, most utilities purchase energy in massive block and adjust quarterly or semi-annually. Because of that, sometimes suppliers find themselves with higher rates than utilities. Eventually trends reverse and utilities are forced to adjust their rates to make up for losses due to underpriced supply sold to customers during high markets.
Regarding the billing, our company does not bill the customer directly. The customer's local utility company delivers the energy purchased by our company for the customer. On the past twenty-five bills from the utility company, our company's name is listed as customer's supplier in the section where the supply charges are located. 
As customer was validly enrolled, no refund or adjustment is warranted.

We have been in contact with the customer via email.
Regards,

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# [redacted], and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

[Your Answer Here]
 
 We have contacted with Respond Power few times, but they always promise to have someone call us back, but it never happens. Even in this platform, they constantly dodge to explain the issue of why the signatures are different. We have lost our last patient and feel that there is no solution coming from here. Therefore, we file this case to court.
 
 
In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.
Sincerely,
[redacted]

Good Afternoon,
We are sorry for the customer's experience. We never want our customers to have a bad interaction with any of our customer service representatives. We will investigate this matter further. 
Regards,

Hi,
The reason our response refers to the PUC press release is to show that we are in line with the rest of the industry.  We are not making extra profit off off these prices, we are passing along the market rate to our customers.  We advise you to sign up for a fixed rate if you are not comfortable with the ups/downs of a variable rate that changes with the market.  Please see the informative article below that discuses the price volatility in the market.  While we can't inform each of our customers about the ups and downs of their bill every month, we do what you to be as informed as possible about how the market works and this is why we are directing you to these sources.
Regards,
Why Have
Energy Bills Increased – Explaining Price Volatility
It has
been a record cold winter across much of the country, and many have been
expressing deep concern as to why energy bills have been so high. Regardless of
whether energy is purchased from a utility or a competitive energy supplier,
customers have seen electricity and natural gas prices spike in many parts of
the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions.
Why did
prices rise?
Simply
put, the issues at hand are the cold weather, electric grid and natural gas
pipeline capacity, and the increasing use of natural gas not just for heating
purposes, but to create electricity.
There is
ample gas supply in the United States, especially given the boom in shale gas.
What customers are feeling are the results of a strained transportation and
infrastructure system that delivers electricity and gas. When demand is high
and capacity is constrained, costs increase.
This
winter’s “polar vortex” has increased the demand for both natural gas and
electricity, resulting in significant congestion in the natural gas pipelines
and on the electric grid (the highways of the energy system). Everyone relies
on these natural gas pipelines and the electric grid to get energy from where
it is produced to where it is used by the homeowner, the tenant, and the
business owner. Just like only so many cars can efficiently travel along a
highway, only so much natural gas and electricity can move through the natural
gas pipeline system and the electric grid.
Also,
while more and more people are using natural gas directly for heating purposes,
electricity generators are also increasingly using natural gas to produce
affordable power. In the short-term, this electricity generation is putting
further strain on the natural gas capacity in certain parts of the country. At
the same time there are also bottlenecks on some parts of the electric grid,
preventing electricity from getting from the generators to the consumers in an
efficient manner.
It’s
known from economics that constraints on supply (such as not being able to get
gas from where it is plentiful to where it is needed) cause prices to rise, and
this has occurred in the wholesale energy markets. The result? Competitive
energy suppliers and utilities alike are paying higher than normal prices when
purchasing from the wholesale market in order to provide energy to homeowners,
tenants, and business owners. This is causing everyone’s bills to rise.
As the
winter weather gradually improves and temperatures rise, the demand for energy
to heat homes and businesses will decrease, placing less pressure on the
nation’s electricity grid and allowing energy prices from suppliers and
utilities to normalize. However, winter weather may very likely be around for
some weeks to come. Despite the unusual weather, the gas and electric delivery
systems have proven to be highly reliable this winter. A number of new natural
gas pipelines and electricity transmission lines are planned or under
construction which should reduce the chances of a similar price spike in the
future.
In the
meantime, there are some things that can be done to help manage energy bills.
Conserve energy as much as possible. For example, make sure
doors and windows are well insulated, seal any air leaks, and lower the
water temperature setting to 120 degrees on the water heater.
Customers using a competitive supplier and who are on a
variable rate plan or whose fixed contracts have expired, should review
their contract to confirm the accuracy of the pricing and call their
supplier if they have any questions.
Customers interested in price stability can also investigate
fixed price options that many suppliers offer.
Customers in need of financial assistance should investigate
their state’s home heating assistance programs. In many states, a customer
can stay with a competitive supplier and still receive assistance paying
utility bills.
Customers should visit their
state’s “energy shopping” websites to compare offers from different suppliers.
For a list of shopping websites, visit [redacted]

Good Morning,
The sales representatives of our independent partner vendors are prohibited from guaranteeing savings, although they may state that historically our customers have saved money. The customer enrolled in a variable rate plan. The rates on a variable rate
plan...

are subject to change based on market conditions. Unfortunately, the
energy market performed very poorly this past winter due to decreases in energy
supply and increases in demand due to the cold weather. While suppliers like
Major Energy/Respond Power base the rate on a daily rolling average and
hedging, most utilities purchase energy in massive block and adjust quarterly
or semi-annually. Because of that, sometimes suppliers find themselves with
higher rates than utilities. Eventually trends reverse and utilities are forced
to adjust their rates to make up for losses due to underpriced supply sold to
customers during high markets.
The account has now been cancelled.
Regards,

Good Morning,
According to the complaint, the
customer is unhappy with the recent rate being charged.
The customer agreed to a variable
rate contract, meaning the rate would be determined by the energy market.
As has been widely reported, there
has...

been a spike in the wholesale energy market which was reflected on the most
recent bill. This is merely a reflection of the current energy market where a
shrinking supply of electricity is under the strain of massive demand due to
one of the coldest winters on record. We are referring customers to the
February ** press release from the PUC regarding this issue. (Please see
attached)  In addition, this is not just happening in [redacted]. 
Please see this link relating to New York prices as well.
[redacted] 
Finally, the account has been
canceled and it is now up to the utility to process the cancellation.  Please contact your utility for budget
billing concerns.
We are truly sorry for your
experience and advise you to sign up on a fixed rate that will ensure price
protection.
Regards
 
[redacted]

Good Morning,
According to the complaint, the
customer is unhappy with the recent rate being charged and would like to cancel her account.
The customer agreed to a variable
rate contract, meaning the rate would be determined by the energy market.
/>
As has been widely reported, there
has been a spike in the wholesale energy market which was reflected on the most
recent bill. This is merely a reflection of the current energy market where a
shrinking supply of electricity is under the strain of massive demand due to
one of the coldest winters on record. We are referring customers to the
February **press release from the PUC regarding this issue. (Please see
attached)  In addition, this is not just happening in Pennsylvania. 
Please see this link relating to New York prices as well.
[redacted]
Finally, the account has been
canceled and it is now up to the utility to process the cancellation.  The request should be
forwarded to your utility company within 24 hours. Turnaround time for
returning the account to your utility can take 1-2 bill cycles. You may contact
your utility to confirm the request has been received. Please contact your utility for budget
billing concerns.
We are truly sorry for your
experience and advise you to sign up on a fixed rate that will ensure price
protection.
Regards
 
In addition please see this informative article.
Why Have
Energy Bills Increased – Explaining Price Volatility
It has
been a record cold winter across much of the country, and many have been
expressing deep concern as to why energy bills have been so high. Regardless of
whether energy is purchased from a utility or a competitive energy supplier,
customers have seen electricity and natural gas prices spike in many parts of
the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions.
Why did
prices rise?
Simply
put, the issues at hand are the cold weather, electric grid and natural gas
pipeline capacity, and the increasing use of natural gas not just for heating
purposes, but to create electricity.
There is
ample gas supply in the United States, especially given the boom in shale gas.
What customers are feeling are the results of a strained transportation and
infrastructure system that delivers electricity and gas. When demand is high
and capacity is constrained, costs increase.
This
winter’s “polar vortex” has increased the demand for both natural gas and
electricity, resulting in significant congestion in the natural gas pipelines
and on the electric grid (the highways of the energy system). Everyone relies
on these natural gas pipelines and the electric grid to get energy from where
it is produced to where it is used by the homeowner, the tenant, and the
business owner. Just like only so many cars can efficiently travel along a
highway, only so much natural gas and electricity can move through the natural
gas pipeline system and the electric grid.
Also,
while more and more people are using natural gas directly for heating purposes,
electricity generators are also increasingly using natural gas to produce
affordable power. In the short-term, this electricity generation is putting
further strain on the natural gas capacity in certain parts of the country. At
the same time there are also bottlenecks on some parts of the electric grid,
preventing electricity from getting from the generators to the consumers in an
efficient manner.
It’s
known from economics that constraints on supply (such as not being able to get
gas from where it is plentiful to where it is needed) cause prices to rise, and
this has occurred in the wholesale energy markets. The result? Competitive
energy suppliers and utilities alike are paying higher than normal prices when
purchasing from the wholesale market in order to provide energy to homeowners,
tenants, and business owners. This is causing everyone’s bills to rise.
As the
winter weather gradually improves and temperatures rise, the demand for energy
to heat homes and businesses will decrease, placing less pressure on the
nation’s electricity grid and allowing energy prices from suppliers and
utilities to normalize. However, winter weather may very likely be around for
some weeks to come. Despite the unusual weather, the gas and electric delivery
systems have proven to be highly reliable this winter. A number of new natural
gas pipelines and electricity transmission lines are planned or under
construction which should reduce the chances of a similar price spike in the
future.
In the
meantime, there are some things that can be done to help manage energy bills.
Conserve energy as much as possible. For example, make sure
doors and windows are well insulated, seal any air leaks, and lower the
water temperature setting to 120 degrees on the water heater.
Customers using a competitive supplier and who are on a
variable rate plan or whose fixed contracts have expired, should review
their contract to confirm the accuracy of the pricing and call their
supplier if they have any questions.
Customers interested in price stability can also investigate
fixed price options that many suppliers offer.
Customers in need of financial assistance should investigate
their state’s home heating assistance programs. In many states, a customer
can stay with a competitive supplier and still receive assistance paying
utility bills.
Customers should visit their
state’s “energy shopping” websites to compare offers from different suppliers.
For a list of shopping websites, visit [redacted]

Good Morning,
We are sorry the customer is dissatisfied with our previous response.  The customer validly enrolled in a variable rate plan, meaning the rate would be effected by the energy market.  We will not be issuing refund.
Regards,

The customer has been contacted by our customer service and their account has been canceled.
Ragrds

Good Morning,
According to the complaint, the
customer is unhappy with the recent rate being charged.  Customer has spoken with our customer service department since making the complaint.
The customer agreed to a variable
rate contract, meaning the...

rate would be determined by the energy market.
As has been widely reported, there
has been a spike in the wholesale energy market which was reflected on the most
recent bill. This is merely a reflection of the current energy market where a
shrinking supply of electricity is under the strain of massive demand due to
one of the coldest winters on record. We are referring customers to the
February **press release from the PUC regarding this issue. (Please see
attached)  In addition, this is not just happening in Pennsylvania. 
Please see this link relating to New York prices as well.
[redacted]
Finally, the account has been
canceled and it is now up to the utility to process the cancellation.  Please contact your utility for budget
billing concerns.
We are truly sorry for your
experience and advise you to sign up on a fixed rate that will ensure price
protection.
Regards
 
In addition please see this informative article.
Why Have
Energy Bills Increased – Explaining Price Volatility
It has
been a record cold winter across much of the country, and many have been
expressing deep concern as to why energy bills have been so high. Regardless of
whether energy is purchased from a utility or a competitive energy supplier,
customers have seen electricity and natural gas prices spike in many parts of
the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions.
Why did
prices rise?
Simply
put, the issues at hand are the cold weather, electric grid and natural gas
pipeline capacity, and the increasing use of natural gas not just for heating
purposes, but to create electricity.
There is
ample gas supply in the United States, especially given the boom in shale gas.
What customers are feeling are the results of a strained transportation and
infrastructure system that delivers electricity and gas. When demand is high
and capacity is constrained, costs increase.
This
winter’s “polar vortex” has increased the demand for both natural gas and
electricity, resulting in significant congestion in the natural gas pipelines
and on the electric grid (the highways of the energy system). Everyone relies
on these natural gas pipelines and the electric grid to get energy from where
it is produced to where it is used by the homeowner, the tenant, and the
business owner. Just like only so many cars can efficiently travel along a
highway, only so much natural gas and electricity can move through the natural
gas pipeline system and the electric grid.
Also,
while more and more people are using natural gas directly for heating purposes,
electricity generators are also increasingly using natural gas to produce
affordable power. In the short-term, this electricity generation is putting
further strain on the natural gas capacity in certain parts of the country. At
the same time there are also bottlenecks on some parts of the electric grid,
preventing electricity from getting from the generators to the consumers in an
efficient manner.
It’s
known from economics that constraints on supply (such as not being able to get
gas from where it is plentiful to where it is needed) cause prices to rise, and
this has occurred in the wholesale energy markets. The result? Competitive
energy suppliers and utilities alike are paying higher than normal prices when
purchasing from the wholesale market in order to provide energy to homeowners,
tenants, and business owners. This is causing everyone’s bills to rise.
As the
winter weather gradually improves and temperatures rise, the demand for energy
to heat homes and businesses will decrease, placing less pressure on the
nation’s electricity grid and allowing energy prices from suppliers and
utilities to normalize. However, winter weather may very likely be around for
some weeks to come. Despite the unusual weather, the gas and electric delivery
systems have proven to be highly reliable this winter. A number of new natural
gas pipelines and electricity transmission lines are planned or under
construction which should reduce the chances of a similar price spike in the
future.
In the
meantime, there are some things that can be done to help manage energy bills.
Conserve energy as much as possible. For example, make sure
doors and windows are well insulated, seal any air leaks, and lower the
water temperature setting to 120 degrees on the water heater.
Customers using a competitive supplier and who are on a
variable rate plan or whose fixed contracts have expired, should review
their contract to confirm the accuracy of the pricing and call their
supplier if they have any questions.
Customers interested in price stability can also investigate
fixed price options that many suppliers offer.
Customers in need of financial assistance should investigate
their state’s home heating assistance programs. In many states, a customer
can stay with a competitive supplier and still receive assistance paying
utility bills.
Customers should visit their
state’s “energy shopping” websites to compare offers from different suppliers.
For a list of shopping websites, visit [redacted]

We have reviewed the verification call from the telemarketing sale and have determined that [redacted] agreed to a variable rate contract. No rate was stated or guaranteed.
Unfortunately, the market rate has experienced a tremendous spike due to demand far outstripping supply. We invite the [redacted] and...

[redacted] to review the attached press release from the PUC about the increases in the wholesale energy market. (attached)
The account is canceled and will return to PPLs default rate (or a different supplier) on March [redacted].
Thank you
Respond Power

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# [redacted], and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

[Your Answer Here]
 
 
 
 
In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.
Sincerely,
[redacted]

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# [redacted], and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:
I received a response from Respond AFTER I started the complaint with the Revdex.com. This was reply:
"[redacted], I tried reaching you this evening to discuss your account and left you a voice mail. I reviewed your account, and I do not see where you were offered $160 to renew. The amount your account is noted for is $60 now and $60 in three months for a total of $120. Please let me know what I can do to assist you. thank you [redacted]"
I think this is beyond a "clerical error" as I have now received three separate accounts of this resolution (the initial phone call offering $160, the Revdex.com "clerical error' response, and the 2 refunds of $60 Respond response). I think there are some serious issues with this company and I am NOT comfortable doing business with them. Again, I want the overcharged bills adjusted/refunded, and I want to be let out on my new contract without penalty.
[Your Answer Here]
 
 
 
 
In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.
Sincerely,
[redacted]

We are sorry that the customer is unhappy.  We are not profiting extra because of these high prices, we are passing along the market price.  Other companies may have been trying to profit too much and then offering some rebates if the customer continues their service, but we can't speak for them.
Regards

Good Evening,
We are having difficulty finding the customer in our system. Please provide the account holder name or the account number so that we can properly respond to the customer's complaint.
Regards,