‘Misleading': Electric Bill Issues Catch the Eye of State Watchdog

Third-party administrators are companies that act as a middleman for the state’s two electric utilities, United Illuminating and Eversource. The companies sell electricity at reduced or promotional rates and customers contract with them rather than the utilities themselves.

Some consumers, like Larry Trine in Wethersfield, are more astute than most when it comes to his electric bill. He researches and checks rates on a regular basis and changes his rate plan and sometimes the third-party supplier every six months to keep his rate low.

Trine’s bill showed a different rate for the next billing cycle than he signed up for and that was different from the previous month.

“I don’t think the public realizes that this is misleading because that is not what the next billing rate is,” Trine said.

The issue came to the attention of Sen. Len Suzio because he selected a third party supplier, Spark Energy, based in Houston, Texas.

State Senator Len Suzio had a similar issue with the next billing cycle being listed as a lower rate but he was then charged at the higher rate from the month prior.

Suzio said the blame is on multiple parties. He said the supplier has blame because it is the one he’s contracted with and Eversource is to blame because the utility is responsible for delivery of the electricity.

"They are responsible for billing information and to convey complete and correct information and they’re not doing that. That’s my beef with them," Suzio said. 

Eversource responded with a statement, both blasting Suzio and saying the responsibility lies with energy suppliers, adding they are the ones charged with providing accurate information to Eversource for when the utility generates bills.

Mitch Gross, a spokesman for Eversource, said Suzio is “perpetuating misinformation,” and added, “Our customers deserve accurate and timely information on the supply rate they’re paying and we always encourage customers to check with their supplier so they know what their current rate is. We support any state action to ensure customers receive clear and accurate rate information from their third-party supplier.”

NBC Connecticut reached out to Spark Energy and a company spokesman refused to comment on the issue with Suzio’s bill.

Connecticut's Consumer Counsel Elin Katz is involved and told NBC Connecticut that there appears to be issues from both the energy provider and the supplier. She said it’s critical that information on those bills be accurate.

Trine said he thinks the entire system is confusing and thinks the companies need to make their bills and methods more clear.

“Since Eversource is the one who is putting it on here either they are not updating it or the supplier is not updating it, which one, I don’t know," Trine said.

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