ComplaintsforXcel Energy, Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  07/24/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I have an Xcel Energy account for my residence. I simply tried to change my email, which turned into a 2 hour disaster. I ended up calling Xcel and speaking with *** this afternoon. I was in a 22 minute wait before I was helped. *** tried to help me by changing my email and also, somehow they had my billing address as another address, so I asked her to please correct that as well. She said it was fixed on her end, but I tried 8 times while I was talking to her and I could not log in. She then told me it takes awhile for it to go through so I should try in an hour or so. I have tried repeatedly over and over again and cannot get into my Xcel online account now. I have spent over 2 hours simply trying to change my email. I am beyond frustrated. I tried calling again and they said the wait was over 20 minutes. There has to be a better solution than that as it didn't work earlier today.

  Business response

  08/07/2024

  On July 26, 2024, I contacted the customer and left a message to contact me if she still required assistance. I had no response.
  
  On August 6, 2024, I contacted the customer again to confirm her issues were resolved.  She stated she was still having issues and couldnt log in. I advised her I would investigate and get help for her. 
  
  On August 7, 2024, I was informed that the issue was resolved and she should be able to access her account.  I contacted the customer and provided instructions on how to access her account. She was not able to check but would try to log in and get back to me if she has any issues.
  
  We apologize for any inconvenience this matter may have caused.  She was advised to contact me if she required further assistance.
  
  Thank you.

  Customer response

  08/08/2024

   Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

  I was finally able to log in after changing my password.

  Thank you.

• Initial Complaint

  07/23/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Two years ago, our house opted out of having a SMART meter. We got a new digital meter at that time. Just yesterday a tech came stating that we needed a new meter, promising that it was not a SMART meter. The meter has an "Opt-Out No Communication" label on it, but it's this model:*********************************************************************************** This is a SMART meter, which we are paying Xcel not to have. We want this meter removed and our old one back.

  Business response

  08/08/2024

  The company has communicated to the customer via-email and provided a detailed explanation of the situation. The customer has the advocates direct contact information if they have any additional questions or concerns.

  Customer response

  08/08/2024

   I am rejecting this response because: the business failed to properly address my complaint. I requested an analog meter specifically citing that SMART Meters (communicating or non-communicating) collect model and usage data on household appliances of the residence where the meter is installed. This is a wiretap without a warrant and it is illegal. Therefore, only a replacement of this meter with an analog meter will suffice to resolve my complaint.
  
  
  

  Business response

  08/09/2024

  The company will not be able to input an analog meter at the premise. All customers' electric meter will eventually be replaced with a smart meter, or, if they opt of a smart meter, they will receive a new non-communicating meter.  The advocate has emailed the customer FAQs regarding the new non-communicating meters. The customer has the advocates direct contact information if they have any additional questions or concerns.

• Initial Complaint

  07/18/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I was over charged by excel engery. My June bill was $252.43. My bill last year 2023 for the same time period was $15.19. May 2024 bill was $18.42 and July 2024 is *****. Ive made 8 calls to excel starting on June 17 2024 to resolve the bill. They acknowledge it is high but have not resolved the issue. I am now getting late notices. Yesterday when I called I asked for a supervisor and was told one would call me back. It has been over 24 hours still no response. I did pay them $20 before the due date which is more than generous to cover my bill. We only have a furnace that draws gas and it has been off since April. I was told they would send someone out to read my meter, however no one has come to the house. I have cameras so i know no one has come to my house. Ive exhausted all of my avenues with excel. They only offer customer support by phone. Ive waited on hold for 20minutes to an hour on each call and just want a resolution

  Business response

  08/01/2024

  The company has spoken to the customer and provided a detailed explanation of the situation. The company attentively listened to the customers concerns, and together reached a resolution. The customer has the advocates direct contact information if they have any additional questions or concerns.

• Initial Complaint

  07/15/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We have been without power for 2 days. While I realize that this can happen, Xcel will not allow us to speak to anyone and will not give us an estimate of when they will even assess the issue. This is not acceptable. Our food is spoiling and we lack basic utilities. We need to know if we need to rent a long-term hotel room and when we will be able to cook again. A company should not be allowed to not even talk to customers to provide this critical information.

  Business response

  07/17/2024

  Hello,
  
  Re: Contact ID ********
  
  I have been assigned this case.  I will contact the customer, investigate the issue, and provide a response. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************
  Xcel Energy
  Customer Advocate Analyst
  ***************************************************
  P: ************  F: ************
  E: ***************************************************************
  ________________________________________________________
  *******************************************; Facebook.com/XcelEnergy   Twitter.com/XcelEnergy
  Please consider the environment before printing this email.
  
  This e-mail, and any attachments, may contain confidential or private material for the sole use of the intended recipient(s).If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply mail and delete all copies of this message and any attachments.

• Initial Complaint

  07/11/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Due to covid and after covid was not able to pay electric bill due to increasing in rent food and other necessities . **** sky rocked and the amounts that they are wanting to set up a payment arrangement i dont have .. I have a mentally ill person in the home and I work from home so if my electricity is to be shut off , I will have no way of making money to make payments. I asked for extension and was basically told there is nothing they can do for me.. They make millions of dollars a year and can't work with the people that are just trying to get by ... Reach out to family and friends they say , when everyone is struggling or charity organization . When you are not familiar with the area. They have the monoply on the electric in the area so if it gets shut off i have to get a hotel room which costs extra money and then prolongs plus paying rent on a home that im not currently residing in because of no electricity .. Their response is there is nothing we can do .... I cant apply for assistance because they say i make over the amount... My rent is almost 2000 grand a month plus car insurance plus water bills plus food plus internet plus gas plus internet plus phone my monthly income is $3700 and yet they expect me to get 3700 dollars in a week.

  Business response

  07/29/2024

  The Customer requested a payment arrangement. A new payment arrangement was sent. The Customer ********************** satisfaction with the new arrangement. 

• Initial Complaint

  07/05/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  In February Xcel energy caused a fire where I live in ****** Tx that burned my house along with my off grid solar and generators. Now I'm forced to buy xcel electricity. I have a brand new power meter on a brand new pole. I run 1 appliance all the time. I only use 1 other appliance occasionally. I do not own enough electronic devices to use the amount of electricity xcel is claiming. I've requested to have my meter calibrated about a month ago. They will not come out and check the meter. I had a certified electrician check my meter and it is over double clocking my usage. If I use 1 kilowatt hour, the meter clocks it at over 2 kilowatt hours. This is fraud committed by xcel energy.

• Initial Complaint

  06/25/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Xcel Energy Monthly Average Program is a scam. The whole point is to balance high usage months in the summer to low usage months in the winter. I was told this program runs 12 months, every 3 months it recalibrates your rate. I was charged 100 bucks for 9 months, where I had many months where I consumed more energy then they charge. At no point was an average taken into the billing. If an average was taken into consideration, it would have recalibrated to a larger amount billed every quarter. No such thing happened. Instead I was given a 500 dollar bill in june since this was the 12th month. My actual bill was 149. Ive never paid a bill close to 500 in the last 4 years Ive owned the property. How does a 12 month average that takes my last 4 years of consumption fail this bad, is there no checks and balances? Is Xcel just another company neglecting its customers? Yes, I think so, they have a right to provide clear, honest reliable service and they cut corners and pull fast ones over their customers. If you have an issue with a bill they tell you to pay it or theyll shut off your power. Now I have the funds to pay it, but its about the principle. They continue to conduct dishonest business, taking advantage of their customers at any chance they can. Not only will they not connect you to anyone that can help, but they will hang up when asking questions. What im looking for: a complete analysis and deep dive into their automated system for average monthly payments. Why was no adjustments ever made every quarter like they claim, how are they pulling a month average from 12 months and how can it be so far off yet so close to previous consumption rates from past years. Why does it only ram up 2 months before the last bill? Why was this not passed along to me before signing up for this scam of a program. This is complete negligence on Xcel side, if I get a bill, I pay that bill. Im not responsible for overpaying the billed amount because I want to.

  Business response

  07/23/2024

  The Customer began the most recent  plan June 2023 with a set amount the billing cycle reconciled in June 2024.
  The system reviewed the *** amount  in September 2023 and updated the amount. The new *** amount is seen on the Customers October 2023 bill. The system reviewed the *** again March 2024 and updated the amount. The new amount is seen on the Customers April 2024 bill.
  When the Average Monthly Payment is reviewed,  the adjustments showing up on the following month's statement.
  The Xcel Energy system uses the current rate for gas and electric, along with the forecasted consumption (based on consumption for the same period the previous year) to forecast the new *** amount. Dollar credits are not consumption, and therefore not part of the review calculation.
   The review is also conducted at time of reconciliation to create the new *** amount for the new plan.
  The review calculation considers the following:
  Last review date
  Current *** amount
  Consumption history for the remaining number of installments for the same period last year
  *** difference

  If the difference between the two is more than $50, the *** amount will change to the forecasted *** amount.
  If the difference between the two is more than $50, but the plan is negotiated (has been manually adjusted) the *** amount will not change. The information is printed on a report for manual intervention.
  If the difference between the two is less than $50, the *** amount will not change.
  Its not uncommon for an installment amount to stay the same for the first six months of the plan.  However, adjustments may be  necessary to avoid a large True Up amount at the end of the plan.  The increased amount  will help recover some of the difference between what was underbilled during the recent *** billing cycle.
  There is nothing further on this complaint.  
  

  Customer response

  07/24/2024

   I am rejecting this response because:
  It failed to rebound. Your program is designed to make monthly average payments, recalibrating every 3 months. It didnt do that. If im consuming more energy then im being billed, then my deficit is only building showing its not actually averaging like the company claims. Its merely creating a fake number as the bill, then hits you with a massive cleanup amount at the end of the fiscal year. If it takes the last 12 months as the averaged amount then I should have had a surplus of energy. I went from 5 people living in my house to 3. This is a company response, not a human response. I expected nothing less from xcel
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  06/24/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I recently moved from one address to another but called a few days after I moved because I was super busy with the move. I asked for my date to be backdated 2 days to the date I moved out but Xcel Energy refused and charged me for 2 days that I did not live at that address. My move overlapped with the new address and I asked for my new address to be charged from the date I started my lease and Excel Energy refused to back date the new address also. I asked for a supervisor or manager but was refused that request also. They said a manager would call me back in 2 days. 3 days later someone called back and did not say they were a manager and said they would not help me. I guess they were not a manager since they did not identify themselves as such. I would like the dates corrected and not to be charged for days I did not live at my last address and to be charged for the correct dates at my new address.

  Business response

  07/03/2024

  A review has been conducted in reference to the customers complaint regarding billing. ******************** records show service was listed in the name of the customer from June 20, 2023, to June *******.  Service was stopped in the customers name on June 21, 2024, due to a request from the customer.  There is no record of the customer requesting to stop service before this date.  The customer is subsequently liable for charges up to June 21, 2024, in accordance with the Discontinuance of Service at Customers Request tariff that is approved and on file with the *************** Utilities Commission. The pertinent portion of the tariff states, Where notice to discontinue or terminate service is not provided by the Customer, the Customer will be liable for payment of service until such time the Company is made aware of the discontinuance and can render a final reading of the meter. Notice by a Customer to discontinue or terminate service will not relieve the Customer from any minimum or guaranteed payment under a contract or an applicable rate schedule.
  The company has attempted to discuss the situation with the customer several times via phone and sent a letter to the service address asking for a call back about the situation. The customer was provided the advocates direct contact information if they have any additional questions.

  Customer response

  07/05/2024

   I am rejecting this response because:

      As a long time XCEL energy customer, this is the first time I have heard of a TARIFF against customers that allows ******************** to OVERCHARGE customers for days that they are no longer in a residence because they could not be on hold for a long time to speak to customer service as is usually the case.  

      WHY did XCEL energy NOT notify me EVER about a TARIFF that charges customers for days they did not occupy a residence?  It is not fair to customers to charge for a TARIFF they were not aware of and have never heard about.  I didn't even receive a regular bill from XCEL energy at my last address that is in question.

       I did not receive a call back from Xcel energy as they said and I have NOT received any new mail from them either.  This is just a large company taking unfair advantage of customers without making them aware of a TARIFF used to take customers money.   There is no more customer service with ******************** as there used to be.  

       

    

   

   

  
  
  

  
  

  Business response

  07/09/2024

  A review has been conducted in reference to the customers complaint regarding billing. ******************** records show service was listed in the name of the customer from June 20, 2023, to June 21, 2024.  Service was stopped in the customers name on June 21, 2024, due to a request from the customer.  There is no record of the customer requesting to stop service before this date.  The customer is subsequently liable for charges up to June 21, 2024, in accordance with the Discontinuance of Service at Customers Request tariff that is approved and on file with the *************** Utilities Commission. The pertinent portion of the tariff states, Where notice to discontinue or terminate service is not provided by the Customer, the Customer will be liable for payment of service until such time the Company is made aware of the discontinuance and can render a final reading of the meter. Notice by a Customer to discontinue or terminate service will not relieve the Customer from any minimum or guaranteed payment under a contract or an applicable rate schedule.
  The company has attempted to discuss the situation with the customer several times via phone and sent a letter to the service address asking for a call back about the situation.  The customer was provided the advocates direct contact information if they have any additional questions.

  Xcel Energy is required to follow all approved tariffs, rules, and statutes which is approved by the state. All tariff information can be found on Xcelenergy.com. 

  Xcel Energy has no further response pertaining to this matter. 

   

• Initial Complaint

  06/21/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  Xcel damaged my yard in April when putting in a new electric pole. I have called twice and have been told that ************************* has been notified, but Ive heard nothing.Each time I call I have to tell the story again because they do not notate this stuff on customers accounts.It has been 2 months, I think Ive been very patient and would like this resolved.My photos are too big to attach.

• Initial Complaint

  06/20/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My issue is that Xcel will not work with me to get an affordable payment arrangement. Im disabled and unable to pay $1630. *** requested to talk to a supervisor multiple times to no avail. When I call agents dont document my conversations. I get treated like Im the liar when I state I spoke to an agent. The automated system states that Xcel will work with customers to come up with an affordable playment plan. However nobody is willing to work with me. Ive reached out to government agencies, multiple agents, etc to try to get help. I was one day late trying to get assistance from energy assistance.

  Business response

  07/09/2024

  The company has spoken to the customer and provided a detailed explanation of the
  situation. The company attentively listened to the customers concerns, and
  together reached a resolution. The customer has the advocates direct contact
  information if they have any additional questions or concerns.

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩