Respond Power

Review: I singed a contract for a fixed rate. The salesman never informed me that the fixed rate was for a limited time, and thereafter charges would change to a variable rate. Had I known that the charges would change to a variable rate I would have never agreed to sign the contract. My monthly bill skyrocketed in February. I've been trying to get in touch with the company to cancel the service, and have been unable to get in touch with anyone. I left messages on their voicemail and no one has called me back. My monthly bills are getting higher, I want to cancel the service with Respond Power, and get a refund for the difference since the charges were changed from a fixed rate to a variable rate.

My contract rate agreement for fixed rate was 0.092. Since Oct 2013, rate changed to variable rate, and currently is up to 0.34990. I want the refund for my bills, readjusted to the 0.092 rate.

Again I want to close my account with Respond Power ASAP.Desired Settlement: Close my account with Respond Power and refund for extra charges from the variable rate.

Business

Response:

Review: When I signed over to Respond Power a year ago I was informed that I would have a locked rate for 1 year and after that year was up the rate would be variable, however, would remain comparable to PPL Electric. This is completely inaccurate! My electric bill tripled after this year contract. I absolutely can not afford to pay these outrageous bills! This was false advertising and I signed up with this company under false pretenses. The company never gave me any warning when it was time for these electric rates to increase which I feel is totally unethical. This was a dirty and shameful move for these companies to have such drastic increases in prices. Who can afford this? Not my family. PPL charges 7-8 cents/kwh and my bill from Respond Power is anywhere from 19-24 cents/kwh. This is completely wrong! I have tried to contact this company numerous times and always end up waiting on hold until eventually a recorded message comes on saying that a representative will call me back. This has never happened. Please help!Desired Settlement: These electric companies need to own up to their original promise of keeping the rates, although variable, comparable to PPL Electric. This is totally unfair and unjust and I would like reimbursement for this money. I simply can not afford to pay this.

Business

Response:

Good Afternoon,

According to the complaint, the

customer states that she understood that she was previously on a fixed rate and

that it would convert to a variable rate after 12 months.

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 [redacted]

We tried to offer the customer a new

rate and a refund, but it was declined. Finally,

the account has been canceled by our company and it is now up to the utility to

process the cancellation.

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]

Consumer

Response:

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 was misinformed and misled when told a year ago that when the variable rate goes into effect it would remain comparable to the rate of the provider (PPL). PPL's variable rates did NOT spike but instead remained around 8-9 cents per kwh. How is this accurate information? I was coerced into a contract under false pretenses. They did NOT have variable rates anywhere near comparable to the provider (PPL).

The rebate to which I was offered ($100.. approx $1100 less than the amount I was over charged) was contingent upon my resigning with Respond Power on a fixed rate of 9 cents/kwh. I informed them I was not interested in continuing any type of contract with this company as I feel as though I had been deceived and again, contracted under false pretenses. I was informed the only way to get the rebate would be to sign a new contract with them. I feel this is absolutely horrible customer service. I requested that they terminate my account immediately. I am completely disgusted and am seeking further compensation.

In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

We responded to the customer and they found the response unsatisfactory. We believe our response has been adequate.

Regards.

Review: After a couple months of continually seeing my energy rate rise, I called and switched back to my original power company ([redacted]). However in my last monthly statement before I was able to break away from the already higher than normal rate, Respond Power hiked my rate to a completely unfair rate of 24.989 cents / KWH (more than triple the 7.43 cents / KWH Penelec is currently charging)Desired Settlement: No settlement requested - for Revdex.com information only

Business

Response:

Good Evening,

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.

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]

Review: I have [redacted] is my energy com. I have been getting really high energy bills the pasted 2 months I just thought because we have had a hard winter ... I called [redacted] and they said I have been with respond power since 2011 ... well I told [redacted] that I knew nothing about this so they gave me respond powers number to call my energy bill for the month of jan 2014 was 371.81 .Ten I get feb 2014 bill and its 423.00 54.14 is [redacted] charge 358.89 respond power charge.. Frist I never signed up for this com.(respond power ) so I tried to call this company and no RESPONCE from them either the phone is high call volume then the chat line it not up .... What I want to know is wheres the saving and I want out of this company Respond power I don't want to pay for a service I never signed forDesired Settlement: I want to have [redacted] as my energy company and I don't think I should have to pay for something I knew nothing about

Business

Response:

Good Afternoon,

According to the complaint, the

customer states that she is unhappy with the current rate being charged.

The customer agreed to a variable

rate contract (See attached) over 2 years ago, meaning her 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.

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]

Consumer

Response:

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]I DID NOT ACCEPT ANY CONTRACT WITH THSI COMPANY BUT ON MARCH ** OR ** I GOT AN EMAIL SAYING THAT MY CONTRACT WAS CANCELED

In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

Good Evening,

We are sorry that you are unhappy with our last response. Again, the signed contract, attached earlier, contains the customer's name and signature. If the customer believes that someone fraudulently signed her name, please contact our customer service department.

Regards,

Consumer

Response:

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]I will KEEP SAYING I DIDNOT SIGN ANY CONTRACT BUT I CAN SEE THERE IS GOING TO NO CAUSE FOR ME TO DIBUTE THIS AS I WONT GET ANYWHERE AS I CAN SEE THAT THIS BUSINESS CAN DO WHAT IT WANTS I PAID 1/2 THE BILL AND WILL PAY THE OTHER 1/2 WHEN I ABLE AS LONG AS RESPOND POWER IS OFF MY [redacted] ACCOUNT AND I SEE THAT RESPOND POWER IS OFF MY ACCOUNT

In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

Sincerely,

Review: A Rep. from the company came to our home, reviewed our current electric bill and said if we switched they would save us money. After a few months they TRIPLED our rates due to the "VORTEX". When asked if they could help us in lowering our rates they said that we would have to sign for a year to get our rates lowered. In the seven years living in our home our electric bill has never once been this extremely high. Unfortunately we have them for another month because when we received our electric bill we were already into another billing cycle and we can not cancel services in the middle of a cycle, they refused to help us with the rates for the next month.Desired Settlement: We would like the company to give us the regular rate which was 0.12999 for we have used less electricity than the previous months.

Business

Response:

[redacted] should disregard her current PPL bill as it had a proration error. PPL will be resending her a new bill in the next 7-10 business days. She will also be receiving a letter in regards to the rebill.

Beyond that, the skyrocketing rates in the commodity market are not something that Respond Power controls. As [redacted] was on a variable rate contract, her account experienced a rate increase caused by a shrinking national supply of electricity and a massive demand due to the coldest January in several decades. We apologize for the increase; however [redacted] should expect higher rates to be the new norm when the country goes through weather extremes.

As to the fixed rate offering, we did attempt to offer some price protection going forward on the account, but they declined.

After canceling, we unfortunately cannot make rate adjustments.

Again, we ask that she kindly disregard her PPL bill and wait for the adjusted bill to be sent.

Regards,

Respond Power

Review: My phone conversation with the Respond Power sales woman leads me to believe I was getting a fixed rate. She kept saying I would save money. Her quote when I asked how long this price was good for she said forever. I don’t think the word fixed or variable we’re even mentioned. I can tell you this when I got off the phone with her I really believed I had a fixed rate. I don’t recall what number she put out there but I felt it was a good price and took it. Before I got my first bill I got a package in the mail with a welcome letter and mail in discount coupons. There was no description or copy of agreement to what my contract was. Still not recalling my price I got my first bill and it was 6.99. Once I received my first bill I could redeem one of the coupons sent to me. I did that by phone as well. In that conversation I was shocked when the woman told me see could offer me a fixed rate. I said I thought I had a fixed rate, she replied no sir you have a variable rate. I told her you can’t trust anyone and ended to conversation. Seeing the price and the upcoming holidays I decided to put this on hold until the holidays are over. I just received my second bill and it went from 6.99 to 12.99. In total shock I called to see what was going on. The women told me the rate. She tried telling me my kWh went up and it did being it’s the holidays. I asked her if she can do anything and she said there is nothing to do that’s your bill. I feel doing this is my best way to resolve this.Desired Settlement: I would like my next bills to be at the lowest fixed rate Respond Power has. And maybe refund some money off my second bill the highest electric bill I have ever had. I don’t want to talk to anyone I just want to see it on my bill. Please stop using the tactics on bait and switch. People don’t need a company that will do this to them and cause such grief. Make sure people understand fully what you’re selling. Don’t twist things around for profit against the American people. Have some respect please.

Business

Response:

In regards to the complaint,

Review: The door to door salemen told me my electric bill would be cheaper if I went with respond power. My bill was $103.50 at the time. My recent bill was $74.11 and they tacked on another $317.88 so the total I owe now is $391.88. I have recently called them and.told them about there salesmen and about the lies he told me to get me to go with respond power and cancelled my service with them. They said I would be receiveing another bill.Desired Settlement: I don't think I should have to pay there fees for being.lied too.

Business

Response:

Good Evening,

We are sorry if the customer had a bad experience with our company. The sales representatives of our partner vendors are strictly prohibited from guaranteeing savings, although they may state that historically we have saved customers money. This customer was enrolled in a variable rate plan. 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, however, it typically takes the utility one to two billing cycles to process the cancellation. Please contact your utility directly for budget billing options.

Regards,

Review: Respond Power (an alternate electric supplier to [redacted]) nearly quadrupled their electricity rate as of January 2014 to (0.34990) with no notification OR an option to "opt out" of the higher rate. I had been a customer since 2011. My electric bills usually run in the $200.00 per month range for my 1800 sq ft. townhome. In Feburary 2014, I received a $826.00 bill stating that the kph rate had tripled since December 2013. I called Respond Power and they agreed to lower the rate for February (brought the bill down to $500.00 - which is still too high). They also informed me that returning to [redacted] would involve a four-week waiting period. As of March *, 2014 I had returned to [redacted] as a customer but Respond Power increased their rate yet again for the final four weeks of service to the original rate from January 2014 (0.34990). My electric bill, dated 3/*/14 is $941.00 which is just thievery! I have not been able to contact the company. I am left on "hold" for thirty minutes or more, then prompted to leave a message (which I did). No one has returned my calls to date.Desired Settlement: Readjust the rate to a reasonable, affordable rate for the months of January and February 2014. As of March *, 2014 I am no longer a Respond Power customer but I expect my bill to be adjusted for my final two months of service. Two electric bills totaling over $1100.00 for two month's service is outrageous.

Business

Response:

Our customer service has responded to this customer.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# [redacted], and have determined that my complaint

My

Complaint has NOT been resolved because:

[Your Answer Here]

My complaint has not been resolved because my bill has NOT BEEN ADJUSTED TO REFLECT A MANAGEABLE RATE. I have heard nothing from the [redacted] or Respond Power.

In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

Good Afternoon,

We are sorry that the customer is dissatisfied with our response. The customer's account has been canceled and she should contact her utility for information about budget billing. We will not be offering a refund in this situation. Also, we have no control over how quickly [redacted] responds to complaints. Again, we apologize that the customer has had a bad experience.

Regards,

Consumer

Response:

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]

My issue has not been resolved. My bill has not been corrected. Nor has the PUC stepped in to take corrective action.

In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

Sincerely,

Review: Last month I received a outrageous bill from them. $175 for 368 kwh. I contacted them, they said they would credit my account. They also said they would sign me up for a year contract at a fixed rate of .08 which is a good rate and it would take into effect with my next bill. Today I receive a bill that I'm being double charged again for commodity charges and there's no credit to my account for last bill. I can't deal with this the Whole point of switching was for a cheaper bill. Well so far everything they've promised was lies. I am now paying two and a half times what I was paying with [redacted] alone. I switched back to [redacted] today sheet numerous attempts to contact respond power. I've also emailed them. I also am not paying the $100 cancellation fee being as though nothing that was supposed to happen during the contract did, there was no .08 commodity charges which means the contract is void. My kwh used were 368 and on this bill I received commodity charges for 368 kwh at .13153 rate then there's another commodity charge 397 kwh at .1899 rate. I don't uNderstand whY I keep getting double charged. Also, my monthly budget payment that I'm required to pay has now went up. It's winter and my bill should be no more than $65 and this is absurd. I was told upon signing up that my bill would be so much cheaper. I haven't seen it.Desired Settlement: I just want to be credited what I'm owed. Last month it should've been about $100 because the man said my bill would only be about $75 after the credit was applied to my account which was never put there. Also this bill where I'm double charged again. Also, I don't want to pay a $100cancellation fee since they voided my contract by not charging what they were supposed to. I had to go back to [redacted], I can't deal with this every month.

Business

Response:

The business has responded with the statement below:

"We have waived the $100 cancelation fee for [redacted]

Her service end date is 4/*/14, at which time she will resume service with [redacted]."

Consumer

Response:

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]

What about my bill corrections and the money I'm owed? The over charge for the first bill then being charged twice for the second bill. What happened to the .08 rate? All you have to say is you'll waive the $100 fee? I already knew that cause the agreement wasn't committed on your end. What happens with the over Billing? I want my money back this is outrageous.

In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

Good Morning,

Please refer to our earlier response for an explanation of our charges. We do not handle your billing directly. You will need to talk to [redacted] for copies of previous bills.

Regards,

Consumer

Response:

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:

Send me what proof of what you were paid. You have to have statements that show what money you received from my account. Again [redacted] has told me that yous were paid for each of those months. Also, here's another funny part to this whole thing, my last bill you billed me for was so low. You aren't answering anything and [redacted] can't discuss the charges you guys billed me for. I just want to see proof showing that you guys weren't paid twice. [Your Answer Here]

In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

Sincerely,

Review: Respond Power billed [redacted] a astronomical price per KWH for the month of January (4x) the other months rates. I called [redacted] concerning the bill and it was confirmed that Respond Power made a miscalculation on the bill and would be sending an adjustment. According to [redacted] it was in a form of an alert on their system and my name was on the alert as well as couple thousand of other customers. [redacted] told me not to pay that portion of the bill. I received my February bill and the charge was still there. I have tried to speak to Respond client rep after waiting over 1 hour. Respond Power was unwilling to help me and kept pushing it off to [redacted].Desired Settlement: Instead of charging the .34764 a KWH, it should be corrected to the .13 KWH that it has been since I signed up for Respond Power service.

Business

Response:

Review: I have been unable to get a response from Respond Power. I have been attempting to contact them for several months now. They have had me on hold for over an hour and then the call gets disconnected. I finally was able to reach them on Wednesday the **of March. A woman by the name of Lee picked up the call after me being on hold for almost an hour. I informed her that I was not happy with there prices, being that they are 300% higher for Electricity than PECO and that I was calling to cancel my services with Respond Power. Lee stated that she would send me an email confirming that I wanted to switch back to PECO. I have not heard back from her, And I am currently on hold now for 56 min. Lee told me that it would take 24 hours to make the switch back. I have just hung up from customer service with PECO and they have not received anything from Respond Power.Desired Settlement: I would like for them to honor there contract that states I can switch to another energy provider at any time with no penalty. I have been attempting to do so for several months now. My last bill from them was over 900 dollars. That is more than 300% higher than it would have been with PECO. They say that I can switch back but no one answers the phone. PLEASE HELP!!!

Business

Response:

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 Pennsylvania.

Please see this link relating to New York prices as well.

If

you would like to cancel your account, please contact customer service.

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]

Review: Respond Power solicited door to door, an illegal activity in the borough, advertising that due to a new law, we could switch energy suppliers to receive a lower power bill than what we are already making. They signed up for a variable rate without explaining how much it could cost and took advantage of our inexperience as college students with power supply. When the first bill came it was much higher, and every bill since has been high, leading to hundreds of dollars of overpayment compared to the previous energy supplier. Their current rate is 6X the rate that we had previously per kilowatt hour.Desired Settlement: This business has the responsibility to honor its promises of having a lower rate than we were receiving before. If the rate were the previous fixed rate of 0.059743 it would cost $199.67 rather than the 757.73 we were charged. The business should provide a refund of $558.06.

Business

Response:

Good Morning,

The sales representatives of our independent partner vendors are prohibited from guaranteeing savings. They may state that historically we have saved customers 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 been cancelled.

Regards,

Consumer

Response:

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 understand now how variable rates work now but that is not what I was sold or what the sales person represented to me. In the long run, there is no way I would have chosen to go with a variable rate because I would never have had to pay nearly as much as I did for several months. The owners of the property have never heard of prices being even half as much as we were paying. The representative from the company will lie to get you to sign up for Respond Power and they will take no credit for that mistake.

In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

Good Afternoon,

The customer validly enrolled and was billed according to the terms and conditions of the contract. We will not be issuing a refund in this case.

Regards,

Review: We were told that we would be paying WAY less than our regular bill, not being told that we would still be paying our [redacted] bill as well. From Respond Power, LLC, we received a bill for 1,559.42 for ONE month or service! We live in a mobile home and there is no way we use 7,801 KWH in a month! Putting our month bill to a whopping 2,332.47$ Our family doesn't even make that much to put food on the the table let alone pay a OUTRAGEOUS electric bill.Desired Settlement: We would like the total amount of 1,559.42 reduced from our bill. we are struggling as it is and we simply CAN NOT afford this! You told us that your rates were way cheaper than [redacted]'s and you LIED to us!

Business

Response:

Good Morning,

The customer enrolled in a variable rate plan. The customer's signed sales agreement is attached for confirmation. 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.

Regards,

Review: Last year, July **, 2013 to be exact I was approached by [redacted] from Respond Power LLC. I owned a 3 family house and provide utilities for my tenants. He indicated that if I switched from [redacted] to Respond Power LLC I would save on electricity as well as gas on all 3 apartments.

I realize we have had a cold winter this year but, the bills kept getting higher. I called RP and questioned the bill and was told that they have a variable and a fixed rate and that I was given the variable rate, Why and how convenient for them? I was not told this at the time and apparently am not the only one complaining about the same issue. I managed to pay last month’s bill (Feb) but, I feel that the information given was totally misleading. Where is the savings?

[redacted] is billing me for the outstanding balance with RP and they indicated that it is a consolidated bill and I should call RP to make the proper adjustments. RP will not do such thing instead they offer me $275 to keep me quiet. Why are they willing to pay at all if they are not at fault as they claim? The March bill for the 2nd floor apartment was $537.33 for electricity only. I have canceled my account with RP and am back with [redacted] who is now threatening with shutting off my service because of the money I still owe RP.Desired Settlement: ALL I want is for RP to contact [redacted] and tell them to remove all charges. I have always paid my bills on time however, I think RP lied to me they are going to ruin my credit and I don’t want them to get away with it

Business

Response:

The customer initially

enrolled in a variable rate plan with our company via a door-to-door sale on July **, 2013. The customer’s singed sales agreements are included for verification. 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.

All of customer's accounts have since been cancelled and no refund or adjustment is warranted.

Review: We received an electric bill with the commodity charge rate of .39990 per KWH which is not consistent with our normal bill. It appears that a variable rate was imposed rather than the fixed rate we had signed up for. This equates to 609.05 just for electric. which is way out of line. This bill is due APRIL [redacted]and we can pay this outrageous rate. I have tried unsuccessfully to to contact the company on Thursday March **and Friday **via telephone. Their system responds by telling you that all lines are busy and to hold. Then after a while it goes dead. This has happened at least 50 times on each day. I tried email and no response. I called Sabrina Pepper ###-###-####* and left a a message, no response, sent an email, no response. Although She is not related to billing but I thought I would at least have someone to talk to that may provide a direct line. They are virtually unreachable by phone or email. I tried to locate a number for their corporate offices which is the same number on my bill. This bill needs to be adjusted to the fixed rate I signed up for at .08 per KWH. which equates to $121.84.

THIS NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED PRIOR TO THE DUE DATE OF APRIL [redacted].Desired Settlement: I want an adjustment to my bill to the fixed rate of .o8 cents per KWH of the original contract.

Business

Response:

Good Afternoon,

We are sorry the customer has been having a difficult time reaching our customer service department. Due to ongoing repercussions from the Polar Vortex, we have experienced an unprecedented number of calls. However, the customer was able to reach one of our customer service representatives today who is currently working to verify the customer's enrollment in our variable rate plan (meaning the customer's rate has been determined by the energy market). The customer should continue to communicate with our customer service department. Again, we are sorry for the delay.

Regards,

Consumer

Response:

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:

It was agreed to via a telephone conversation of 4/**/2014 at 1:15 pm with [redacted] (employee no. [redacted]) that both parties would review the original contract of 2010 to determine the type of plan that I have. The company is to retrieve the original telephone conversation and I was to retrieve the paperwork confirming the plan and we would talk again and share the results. My contention is that I never signed up for a variable rate plan, particularly since I am retired and need to have fixed costs at this point in my life.

After discussions with my [redacted] and a physical search of our records it was determined that I do not have any documentation nor did we ever receive any from Response Power or from PECO relative to the terms and conditions of the plan. I am seeking a rate adjustment based upon the .08 PKW at the time of contract. It is not possible for us to pay at the rate of .3999 PKH. The $609.05 is totally out of line an inconstant with our usage.

[Your Answer Here]

In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

Sincerely,

Consumer

Response:

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:

Good Afternoon [redacted]:

RE: Complaint ID: [redacted]

Please be advised that Response Power LLC has not responded to any of my emails or telephone messages to [redacted] (employee no.[redacted])over the past few days. It was agreed that the company would provide supporting documentation in the form of a telephone recording to indicate that I had signed up for a flexible rate plan and I would research my files to find the original contract stated it was a fixed rate. No contract was found in my records and my [redacted] claims we never got any written notification of a flexible rate plan.

Since the company has not produced evidence to support their claim, I am requesting a rebate of $487.75. The normal rate during that billing cycle was .08/KWH verses .3999/KWH The difference is the amount stated based upon the usage rate of 1523/KWH. I have terminated my contract with Response Power LLC and request a refund in the form of a check from the company in a timely manner.

Customer service is not one of their fortes . Further, I would not recommend this company to anyone.

In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

Good Afternoon,

We are sorry the customer is dissatisfied with our previous. However, we reiterate, the evidence of a variable rate plan is three years of bills where the rate fluctuated nearly every month. We will not be issuing a refund in this situation.

Regards,

Review: I was solicited to switch my utility supply (gas and electric) to RESPOND with the promise my monthly bills would be "up to 10% lower." Since signing up in January, my eletric rates have gone from around 5 cents per KWH to 27 cents per KWH. My gas rates have gone from about 48 cents per therm to over one dollar per therm. My monthly bills used to average around $80/mo for electric and $100/mo gas. This past month my electric bill was $779, and my gas bill is over $225. I am now paying over 5 times for the same exact product, and I was promised lower rates when I signed up.

I contacted the company and spoke to a customer rep. She refused to do anything and stated "there were no supervisors available." I also contacted my local state elected officials and have learned that the Pennsylvania State Attorney General currently has pending lawsuits against RESPOND and other false representing suppliers. When I asked if RESPOND would refund my bill to a competitive rate, they outright refused. Now I am stuck with over $1000 in utility bills that I cannot afford to pay, and face having my utility companies shutting off my service. I feel the tactics used to sign people up are deceptive, deceiful, and totally dishonest.Desired Settlement: RESPOND needs to make good with me and others that they fleece. All bills needs to be made at competitive rates, or they need to stop solciiting with false tactics and tell consumers the TRUTH.

Review: Our electric bill for a two bedroom apartment downtown was $735.02. They raised the price per kilowatt hour from less than 6 cents when we signed on to over 24 cents. The respond power employees came to my door telling me I could apply for their electric because we were low income and therefore would be given a lower rate. I did not realize what a variable rate was and the rate increased immensely.Desired Settlement: We would like a refund or at least some money back for our bills.

Business

Response:

Good Morning,

We are sorry the customer has experienced high rates. The customer enrolled in a variable rate plan, meaning that the rates would be determined by the energy market. During this severe winter, as the demands on an already limited energy market drastically increased, rates increased in kind. Please see the article below for more information on why rates have skyrocketed during this winter. The customer's account has now been cancelled. Please be aware that it can take one to two billing cycles for the utility to process the switch. Again, we are sorry and we are sorry to lose you as a customer.

Regards,

Review: Price Gouging:

When looking at my bill I saw $178.00 on my budget billing plan for March [redacted]2014. After that month, it went up to $550.00. The $550.00 is due April **2014. That is a HUGE difference of almost $400.00($372.00)

Reviewing further 2 months ago in the month of December 2014 it was 0.1633 per KWH then in March it was .3885 KWH(this is around the time when we ended business with them). This was a VARIABLE rate but it STILL is price Gouging and VERY deceiving as I was on budget billing.

I did not know until the damage was already done. This is very very deceitful and immorally wrong.

I understand inflation and colder months causes power companies to compensate but this is clearly an unethical practice by this evil company. This isn't just inflation this is downright TAKING ADVANTAGE of poor unsuspecting people and letting the weather plot a plan for evil deception. This clearly draws the line.

Clearly NOT just about making a profit but STEALING from poor unsuspecting people.

If prices at the pump went up double or almost triple in that short amount of time it WOULD be price gouging. Why is this any different?

If you look at the other companies from around the area you can see that these prices ARE NOT common standard prices. They DO NOT even come close to other Power Supply prices.

I originally thought that this was PPL's fault but after further inspection, I realized that it was not.This is unfordable. We will loose EVERYTHING. We have 2 kids. We need help. Revdex.com please help us.

Signed,

HKDesired Settlement: I would like charges where it CLEARLY has price gouging to be to be completely reversed. I can see this in the months of February and March.

Business

Response:

Good Afternoon,

We are sorry the customer is unhappy with her experience. As the customer notes, variable rates rose steeply this winter due to severe and prolonged weather. The customer should also be aware that certain utilities drop customers from budget billing plans when they sign up with an alternate supplier (like our company). Please contact your utility directly for budget billing questions and help paying your bill. The account has been cancelled.

Regards,

Review: Switched to respond energy a few months ago when the rates were lower than the local power company, they increased sightly through winter, which is acceptable, last bill received the kilowatt hour is triple the price to compare, which happened from January to February billing period, and was charge .1499 KWH, as of 3/**/14 the rate when to .1999 a KWH, when the price to compare is approximately .0493 KWH... this is price gouging and UNACCEPTABLE any is beyond reasonable in terms of prices. I attempted to contact respond power by telephone twice, once disconnected and the other after an hour on hold I had to hang up because I was working and they only have 9-5 hours...they claim email is faster, also no current email response after 2 days. This company is currently unreachable and conducting unethical pricing schemes.Desired Settlement: I require a REASONABLE negotiation on my February power bill, and a REASONABLE rate be charged for the service they are provide while they are unreachable. I want my contract canceled with them IMMEDIATELY , they have voided their contract in my opinion by not being able to be reached and explain current charges and discuss my contract, which I was told by the representative when I signed up has no penalties or fees and can be canceled at anytime, however how can I cancel at anytime if they are unreachable. as of 3/**/14 I accept no charges from this company, I wish to return to my previous local supplier West Penn Power as of the day of this complain.

Business

Response:

Good Afternoon,

According to the complaint, the

customer states that he is unhappy with the current rate being charged.

The customer agreed to a variable

rate contract, meaning his 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 14 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. http://www.lohud.com/article/20140225/NEWS02/302250088/Natural-gas-electric-bill...⇄ />
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]

Consumer

Response:

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:

In my complaint, I requested a negotaion on my Febuary well as the time unreached (March) power bills. There has been no response from "Respond Power" to my personal Emails to the company. My Spam mailbox has been checked every day for a reply.

Further more, I have called First Energy and "Respond Power" will not be removed from my bill until after my March bill concludes on April [redacted].

Furthermore, I require a negoiation below the current rate to a more reasonable rate on my Current and future bill. Currently in my area via the papowerswitch.com website "Respond Power" is the most expensive at .1999 my Defult service is .0493 Attached is the printable content from said website.

In conclusion, for this to be resolved I will requrie negoation to a lower amount. In the .05 to .07 range.

In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

Sincerely,

Consumer

Response:

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:

[The statement is false that "Respond Power" listing is "Fixed" when it is actually "Variable" on the Papowerswitch.com webisite as stated in every doccument I have attached. I have attached another screen shot of the listing as of today.

Finally, To get this matter resolved as stated in my complaint I require a negotiated rate (.05 to .07 KwH) of my Febuary and March bills (what my orginal provider would have charged even with increased expenses) and a credit mailed to me. as I have paid my Febuary bill already. and my March bill just concluded on April [redacted]. ]

In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

Good Evening,

We are sorry the customer is dissatisfied. The customer validly enrolled in a variable rate program and we will not be issuing a refund in this situation.

Regards,

Review: I received an electric bill from PECO with a commodity charge from the above company. I was not aware that they were my now my electric supplier and my wife does not rember signing up with them. They claim we are on a varible rate and thats the way it works, but thru some research I found we have been with them for three years. I checked with the PA utility commision and with Philadelphia Electric Co. and they inform me that I was to receive( Under state law, electric suppliers must provide clear and conspicuous statements to customers about the rates they will be paying, including circumstances under which the rate may change). I also belive my wife was msinformed about the changes to the electric suppliers and was misleed to belive that PECO was no longer performing this.Desired Settlement: I have already taken steps to aquire a new supplier.

Consumer

Response:

I would like a refund from my Feburary bill and an adjustment from my recent bill to reflect current cost of electricity that is more in line with there competion.

Business

Response:

Good Evening,

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 [redacted]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.

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]