Complaints

This profile includes complaints for FirstEnergy Corp.'s headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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  FirstEnergy Corp.

  76 S Main St Akron, OH 44308-1812

  
• 

  FirstEnergy Corp.

  1910 W Market St Akron, OH 44313-6938

  
• 

  Jersey Central Power and Light Co.

  1 River Centre 331 Newman Springs Rd Bldg 3 Red Bank, NJ 07701

• 

  Jersey Central Power and Light Co.

  331 Newman Springs Road, Bldg 3 Red Bank, NJ 07701

• 

  Jersey Central Power and Light Co.

  331 Newman Springs Road, Bldg 3 Red Bank, NJ 07701

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. 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.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/01/2025

  Type:Order Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On 2/21 I paid them $500 that was to go towards a past due balance. On 2/24 monpower put $240 of the $500 towards a security deposit request instead of putting it towards my past due balance and then a week later is now threatening to terminate my electric. I paid a security deposit when I started service with them. This is so wrong of a company to put a random security deposit on the account and take it from 500 that was paid to go to PAST DUE balance and then send a termination letter.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 03/03/2025

  Customer began service on 4/19/24 no deposit was charged

  ******** *********** ***** ***** ******* ** * ***** **** *** ************ ********* *** * ******** ** * ** *** ************ ********* *** ******* *** *

  The Customer did not make timely payments and was billed a deposit of $244.00 on 02/19/25. A bill was issued to the Customer on 01/22/25 which included the deposit and following message; "A security deposit has been billed to your account. If you are unable to pay the deposit in full, you have the option of paying the deposit in three installments: a 50 percent initial payment will be due with your first bill, another payment of 25 percent will be due with your second bill and a final payment of 25 percent will be due with your third bill. Please note that the deposit installments will be in addition to your monthly bill amount. Please contact us at ************** if you would like to pay the deposit in installments. Your security deposit will be waived if you are confirmed income eligible for a customer assistance program. To apply, please contact Dollar Energy at ************ to provide your income information and discuss eligibility."

  A broken IP termination notice was issued 02/27/25 for a termination amount of $754.86, a catch up amount of $417.19, with a termination date scheduled on or after 03/06/25.
  
  Deposit warning appears on invoice when 3 or more termination notices are issued during the last 12 months

  Customer did not pay bill of $926.94 on time therefore deposit was billed on following bill, billing statement attached. 

  Deposit has been paid in full and after a year of on time payments deposit will be released back to the account. 

   

   

   

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/27/2025

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Potomac Edison encourages customers to enroll in autopay, which I did in Dec. 2024. When my pay was not deducted for my Jan. 2025 bill, I called (usually have to wait 40-60 minutes to speak to someone) and was told it would start in Feb. 2025. On 2/25/25 around 5pm, as I did not receive a text notifying me of the payment (I did receive a text a few days later saying the payment would occur on 2/2), I checked my checking account: no deduction had been made from my checking account. I called (waited 50 minutes to speak to someone at around 6pm) and was told the payment would occur later (that evening). The next day, 2/26/25, no payment had been made and I received an OVERDUE NOTICE via text. In short, this autopay system that Potomac Edison promotes does not seem to work AND the customer (me) is they informed they are OVERDUE. I simple can't pay my billls with this system. Help!

  

  Business Response

  Date: 02/28/2025

  Good afternoon,
  
  Per my investigation on the customer account, here are my findings.

  On 10/31/24 a payment for $18.86 was made on the account.  The payment was returned Non-Sufficient Funds on 11/06/24.  When this occurred a payment lock was automatically set on the account and a “CASH” only alert placed on the account.

  On 11/18/24, *********** ******** contacted the Company and had explained he had discovered his error with his bank account and requested the CASH only alert be removed from the account. A supervisor approved to have the alert removed and agreed to waive the $15.00 return check fee.    

  On 12/26/24, *********** ******** contacted the Company and was set up on Direct Debit with his checking account.  It is noted to the account that the customer was advised that he had been enrolled into the Direct Debit Program. Payment of the current amount due is needed to be paid by an alternate payment method before the due date until he sees “Checkless Customer” listed on his bill.

  On 01/07/25, when the next bill issued the bill stub did not reflect the Checkless (Direct Debit) message on it. The bill still required a manual payment due by 01/27/25.   

  On 01/29/25, Mr. Mulvhill contacted the Company and stated the autopay didn’t come out of his account. A hold was placed on the account for the customer as a courtesy to be deducted with the next bill, due to this misunderstanding. No late fee applied due to the hold on the account.

  On 02/05/25 the next bill issued that included the carry over balance from the prior month of ($127.53) and current bill of ($144.41). The bill stub states, “Checkless Customer $271.94 will be deducted from your account on February 25, 2025. DO NOT PAY”.  

  The payment did not auto-deduct for the account on 02/25/25 as indicated on the bill.  Investigation shows this was due to the payment lock that had not been removed from the account from the prior returned payment only the CASH requirement was removed.  On 02/27/25 the payment lock was removed.  This will allow for future payment via Direct Debit.

  The customer made the payment on the account on 02/27/25 of $271.94. 

  There is no balance due at this time.  Then next bill is scheduled to issue on or around 03/07/25.  The customer is currently still showing set up on the Direct Debit for his payment.  Unless the customer would cancel the direct debit the next bill that issues will have the deduct date listed on the bill and the payment should occur automatically.  

  We apologize for any inconvenience this has caused.
  
  Best Regards,

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/26/2025

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Our electric company Ohio Edison charging us a “distribution fee” that is $.12 per Kwh on top of the fee that’s being charged for our actual usage. This is a higher charge than our actual usage fee. We don’t have any other option than to use Ohio Edison. We called to inquire about this and they informed us that their committee had voted for this. The actual customers did not get any say. They originally charged us a fee for not having a third party supplier. We got a third party supplier and now they charge this ridiculous distribution fee. Our last bill was $342. $156 of this was from our energy usage from the third party. Ohio Edison charged us $114 for the distribution fee, $66 for cost recovery charges, and a fee smaller charges. This totaled $183.56. It’s absolute an unfair monopoly that they’re grossly overcharging. This is unfair to consumers and the community. Research suggests that the standard distribution fee is approximately $.438 per KWh for a distribution fee. Ohio Edison should not be able to set fees without competition, this is detrimental to customers.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 03/04/2025

  Please our response attached.

  Thank you,

  Ohio Edison Compliance Department

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/04/2025

   I am rejecting this response because:
  You’re claiming that Ohio Edison doesn’t charge for not having a third party supplier. I have attached a copy of my previous bills that had over $130 charge for Bypassable Generation and Transmission Related Component.

  
   Per the key on the bill-
  Bypassable Generation and Transmission Related Component.- Charges for purchasing power and delivering it through the transmission system. These charges are avoided when switching to a Certified Retail Electric Service provider.
  
  When I called Ohio Edison they explained to me that this charge was because I didn’t have a third party supplier. 
  
  You’re telling me now though that-The alternate supplier is optional. OE does not charge customers a fee for not having a third-party suppler.
  
  Does that mean you’re going to refund me all the previous charges? I was charged for months for not having a third party supplier. 
  
  We have no option to not have Ohio Edison, so you put all of these additional charges on our bill. 

  
  

  

  Business Response

  Date: 03/06/2025

  Good afternoon,

  Customers can choose their electric generation supplier, since Ohio’s electric industry is deregulated. Customers can stay with Ohio Edison to supply their electricity or choose a competitive company. If customers stay with Ohio Edison, they are billed the supply portion of their usage which is called the Bypassable Generation and Transmission Charge and is billed based on the KWH used each month. If the customer chooses to go with a supplier, this portion of the bill will no longer be billed by Ohio Edison and will be billed by the supplier of their choice. No matter what supplier they choose, Ohio Edison will continue to bill the distribution portion of the bill which is the Distribution Related Component in addition to the Cost Recover Charges, and any other applicable PUCO approved riders.
  
  The customers' bills reflect the correct charges per kwh based on when Ohio Edison was billing for the supply portion or if their chosen supplier was billing for the supply. These charges are in addition to the per KWH billed for the distribution, Cost Recovery and any other applicable PUCO approved riders and customer charge. 

  Thank you,

  Ohio Edison Compliance 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/25/2025

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I signed up for auto pay, then try tried to deduct twice the amount, I cancelled auto pay and paid my regular budget payment, they sent a letter telling the account is not on file and now only payments can be made is the form of a certified check or money order and my service may terminated, they claim my account could be found, but the agent this morning went it and deleted it and admitted they have a new payment system, my account number has been in the online account for 17 years, I want my right to pay online with my checking account, this is their error and that letter basically said my payment was fraudulent and my electric would be terminated. I want a manager from First energy to explain this, I did call my bank and the payment was never applied to my bank account that they had on file, meaning this is First Energy's fault. Yesterday I called in and a recording said it was a 1 to 2 hour wait to get a agent, I said yes for that, 3 hours later no call I then called back at 4pm and this time stayed on the line for 3.5 hours and then it was cut off, not by me.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 02/28/2025

  01/08/25 – Customer enrolled in Direct Debit program.

  On or about 01/15/25 an email was sent to the customer advising:
  Dear Valued Customer, 
  We recently transitioned to a new third-party payment vendor, ACI Worldwide, to process electronic payments. During the transition, we were unable to transfer your data, and you are no longer enrolled in the AutoPay Bank Account program.  
  Please complete the following steps to stay enrolled in automatic payments:  
  1. Log in at ****************************** 
  2. On the My Account page, scroll down to the section titled “Billing and Payment Information” and click on the “Not Enrolled” link next to AutoPay Bank Account.  
  3. Click the “Enroll, Update or Cancel” button on the Automatic Bank Account page.  
  4. You will then be redirected to the ACI Speedpay site where you will be able to enter your bank details. 
  If you were previously billed on the AutoPay Bank Account program and have an outstanding balance currently due, your payment will be deducted on the due date as scheduled if you successfully enroll prior to that date.  
  We appreciate you taking these steps to stay enrolled in the AutoPay Bank Account program and apologize for any inconvenience.  If you have any questions, please contact us and a member of our team will be happy to assist you.

  A bill was issued on 01/16/25.  The bill included past due balance of $0.00 and current charges of $75.05 due on 02/18/25, for a total amount due of $75.04. The bill advised “As a checkless customer- total charges of $75.04 will be deducted from your account on 02/18/25.

  A bill was issued on 02/14/25.  The bill included past due balance of $75.04 and current charges of $121.06 due on 03/17/25, for a total amount due of $196.10. The bill advised “As a checkless customer- total charges of $196.10 will be deducted from your account on 03/17/25.

  02/14/25 – Customer cancelled Direct Debit payment method from the account. 

  02/14/25 – Customer contacted the Company regarding the bill issued 02/14/25.  The representative advised $75.04 carry over from previous bill plus $121.06 current charges due 03/17/25.  The representative advised the current bill includes budget true up of $50.17.  The representative confirmed with the customer that Direct Debit has been removed from the account.

  02/14/25 – Customer processed $80.00 payment via online as a one-time payment from customer’s bank account.

  02/20/25 – Payment of $80.00 returned Account not Found.  Letter issued to the customer; copy attached.

  02/24/25 - $85.00 payment received.

  02/25/25 – Customer contacted the Company regarding balance due.  The representative advised bill issued 02/14/25 included a carryover balance of $75.04 along with the budget true up of $50.17.  The representative advised $111.10 is due by 03/17/25. The customer stated if his payment gets returned again, he will contact the BBB as he feels the Company is just trying to get fees.  

  The customer’s account is not blocked from check payments.  The customer can make payments by either check or credit/debit card on their account.
  
  Although we encourage customers to visit our website, utilize self-service options in the IVR or take advantage of our Virtual Callback service, some choose to wait for a representative.  We have experienced staffing shortages in certain call types which may create long wait times.  To address the wait times of this subset of calls, we continue to optimize call routing strategies to get the customer to the correctly trained CSR the first time and have implemented an initiative focused on recruitment and retention.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/21/2025

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I am having problems trying to finish setting up an installment plan. Currently I have been put on 59 minute hold for a total five times today.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 02/24/2025

  Company records indicate the customer completed a Self-serve credit interaction via the company website on 02/20/25 and entered a down payment installment plan. The down payment of $194.39 was to be paid by 02/25/25 and the remaining balance was placed in a 6-month plan of $98.00 plus current charges.
  
  Company records indicate the customer contacted the company via customer service on 02/21/25 and was transferred to the credit department to confirm the installment plan was setting up that she entered on the company website.
  
  Credit representative advised there was a postdated payment for 02/28/25 in the amount of $400.00; however, the down payment date was for 02/25/25. The representative advised that the down payment has been modified and now the date is 02/28/25 to ensure the payment will create the installment plan. The representative advised since the payment was more than the down payment needed this was being done as a courtesy.
  
  The company advises that once the payment is cleared on 02/28/25, the installment plan will be created and take effect on the next bill on or around 03/11/25.
  
  Thank you, 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/18/2025

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I need Met-Ed a first energy company to schedule an on off day so I can get my house fixed MLM is my contractor to get my roof and I hired an electric company to fix the electric line that needs to be replaced It's will be a year IN APRIL AND MY HOUSE STILL ISN'T FIXED BECAUSE OF MET-ED THEY NEED TO DO THERE JOB AND SCHEDULE AN ON OFF DATE WITH MLM.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 02/19/2025

  Good afternoon,

  Attached you will find the company response to the customer's concern.

  Thank you, have a good day. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/17/2025

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Pay electric bill to Mon Power monthly and they send to First Energy. First Energy sends it back to Mon Power and says can't find account number. Started in November. ********************** has left off a zero in the bank routing number and it is returning check. We have been charged late fees because of First Energy's mistake.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 02/24/2025

  What is causing the issue here is the two additional zeros that ************** has added to the front of the **** on their checks. Before this change their check payments were successful and have been unsuccessful ever since. The customer would need to address this issue with Community Bank. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/14/2025

  Type:Delivery Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  We had a power outage last night. MetEd delayed the power restoration to 3 pm today and they overextended the restoration from 9pm last night and they keep extending the restoration time.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 02/18/2025

  Met-Ed cannot guarantee service 100% of the time however when the power does go out the company works around the clock as fast and safe as possible to get power restored to its customers. When a customer contacts ********************** and reports an outage they are given an *** (estimated restoral time). This time is estimated and can change once the crews have been out to the property to assess the situation and depending on the amount of work that needs to be completed, and the number of crews needed these times can continue to change. The company changes the *** to give the customer a better time frame of when the power will be restored however again this time is just estimated and not guaranteed. Unfortunately, there are times that restoral can take longer than anticipated depending on the severity of the damage which in this case it appears that trees caused down lines which would have caused for forestry to come out before work could be completed.  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/24/2025

   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.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/14/2025

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  They are charging to use bank transfers to pay our bills now. Most people do not have the luxury of being able to pay with automatic payments. They switched to a 3rd party contactor to do their payment system and now charge us to pay our bills. I would like the BBB to have them not charge $0.50 service fees for taking it from your bank account like they had before. We use to be able to pay our bills with the Electronic Check Payment- WEB but now they converted it to a One-Time Bank Payment which now charges us. This is ridiculous as they will not waive the fee and you cannot switch the electric company as it's contracted through the city.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 02/14/2025

  In May 2024, FirstEnergy began transitioning to a new electronic payment processor, ACI Worldwide. This was a two-phase plan that included offering additional payment options for customers making electronic payments.
  
  Phase 1 – As of May 13, 2024, credit card and debit card payments were processed through ACI. This included one-time and AutoPay payments.
  At this time, FirstEnergy also began accepting payments via PayPal and Venmo.
  There were no fee changes as part of this phase.
  
  Phase 2 – As of January 8, 2025, bank account (ACH) payments also transitioned to ACI.
  An adjustment to service fees for both credit/debit card and ACH one-time payments went into effect for customers as outlined below.  

  The following fee changes went into effect in January 2025:
  Residential customers who make one-time payments with a debit or credit card will see a decrease in service fees, from $4.75 per transaction to $2.75 per transaction. These service fees are charged by the third-party payment vendor and apply only to one-time payments.
  For commercial customers, the third-party service fee for a one-time credit or debit card payment will decrease from 3% to 2.75% of the total transaction. This is charged by the third-party payment vendor and applies only to one-time payments.
  There will be a new service fee of 50 cents for customers who make one-time payments with a bank account (ACH). While this is a new service fee for one-time bank account payments (ACH), the 50-cent service fee is less than the cost of a stamp to mail in a payment. This 50-cent per transaction service fee is charged by the third-party payment vendor and applies only to one-time payments. 

  The company is unable to waive or refund the fee, as this is not our fee. The fee is charged by the third-party vendor.

  Customers can enroll in AutoPay Payment programs to avoid service fees charged by the third-party payment vendor. These programs help ensure customers stay up to date on their electric bills while avoiding service fees.

   

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/18/2025

   I am rejecting this response because:
  Using third party services and charging us a fee when it use to be free us an unacceptable business practice. Why should customers pay to pay their bill.
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/11/2025

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Extremely high utility bill and no reasonable explanation for it. I can't get to speak with anyone and they say they have a form online that doesn't exist.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 02/15/2025

  January brought sub-zero temperatures to our region, which can lead to higher energy usage and, ultimately, higher bills as we all try to stay warm in our homes.
  
  Some of the reasons your energy usage and costs might increase during cold weather include:
  
  Heating: Frigid temperatures mean heating systems work harder and longer to keep you comfortable.
  Shorter Days: Less daylight leads to increased use of lighting and indoor activities, which adds to overall energy consumption.
  Appliance Use: Increased use of space heaters, electric blankets and other household appliances during winter months can contribute to higher bills.
  Lifestyle Changes: During cold weather, families spend more time indoors. Working from home and hosting family gatherings during the holidays can also significantly increase energy use.
  
  Please be assured that your electric rates have not changed. We understand that higher electric bills can cause concern, and we have a variety of tips and tools to help you manage energy use and costs.
  
  Tips for *************** Use
  
  There are simple steps you can take to help improve energy efficiency throughout your home and save on your monthly bill, including during periods of extreme cold when energy use often increases as your HVAC system works harder.
  Here are ways to keep your home comfortable and improve electricity use year-round:
  Weatherstrip doors and windows to prevent temperature-controlled air from escaping your home. This will help take the strain off your cooling and heating systems.
  Keep your HVAC system well-maintained. Clean filters, vents and coils ensure optimal efficiency and extend the life of your equipment.
  Change furnace filters a minimum of every three months. Dirty and clogged filters can make your HVAC system work harder.
  Locate your thermostat on an inside wall and away from windows and doors. Cold drafts or excess heat can cause the thermostat to keep the system running unnecessarily.
  Turn off lights when you arent using them and use a timer for outdoor lighting.
  Keep registers for supply or return air free of obstructions like curtains or furniture.
  Close curtains and blinds to retain warm air.
  Close the fireplace damper when it is not in use to keep warm air in and cold air out.
  Reverse the motor on your ceiling fan and operate it at a low speed in the clockwise direction. This forces warm air near the ceiling down, making your space feel warmer.
  Dress for the weather. Wearing an extra layer or wrapping up in a blanket while you're relaxing can help you feel more comfortable without turning up the thermostat.
  Keep the overhead door of an attached garage closed to block cold winds from infiltrating the connecting door between the house and garage.
  
  Estimated Bills
  In cases of severe weather or when meter access is restricted, your bill may be based on an estimated reading.
  Estimated readings rely on your historical energy usage, adjusted for current weather conditions.
  This can sometimes result in bills that are higher or lower than your actual usage. Any difference between your estimated usage and actual usage is automatically adjusted the next time your meter is read.
  You can avoid an estimated bill by submitting your own meter reading to ensure accurate billing. For more information on how to locate the meter and submit your reading, visit ************************************************************************************************.
  
  Company advises that the previous bill that was invoiced in January was an estimated bill at 3034 kWhs for $405.29. The previous bill was an actual bill for 3133 kWhs for $418.26 for the November usage.
  
  Meters are scheduled to be read monthly, absent unforeseen circumstances.  The company does attempt to read all meters as scheduled,however sometimes there are circumstances beyond our control e.g. access, storm restoration, extreme weather conditions, work stoppage, emergencies etc. The customer has an option to provide a reading if they receive an estimated bill by contacting the Company.
  
  Company advises that the most recent bill for the January actual usage was for 5316 kWhs at $705.20. Based off the actual bill for November the December usage was underestimated; therefore, once the actual read obtained in January made up for the underbilled usage from the month before.
  
  An increase in the electric bill does not necessarily indicate the bill is incorrect. The utility is responsible for the meter equipment and meter readings. The utilities responsibility ends with the meter. The customer is responsible for the efficient operation and maintenance of all household appliances and equipment. There are several conditions that can impact customer usage. For example, December, January,and February are traditionally higher gas and electric usage months due to customers heating their homes. Similarly, June, July, and ****** are high electricity months due to the added use of air conditioning and fans to cool the home. Customer may want to perform a breaker tester or contact a local electrician to have an energy audit completed on their home to assist in determining what appliances or areas of the home is contributing to the most usage. The customers account is coded for ********************** and water heat.
  
  Budget Billing: Average Payment Plan
  
  Budget billing the Average Payment Plan (APP) helps manage seasonal fluctuations by averaging your payments throughout the year.
  The APP averages your past 12 months of usage into consistent monthly payments. This can help avoid unexpectedly high bills due to seasonal spikes.
  More information is available at ********************************************************************************************************************.
  

  Although we encourage customers to visit our website, utilize self-service options in the *** or take advantage of our ************************* some choose to wait for a representative. We have experienced staffing shortages in certain call types which may create long wait times. To address the wait times of this subset of calls, we continue to optimize call routing strategies to get the customer to the correctly trained CSR the first time and have implemented an initiative focused on recruitment and retention.
  

  Thank you, 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/18/2025

  We recognize the potential for the changes that may take place based on colder temperatures that may apply to some people or their situations. We considered those ourselves.  However, there may be other factors that could be impacting our bill such as the meter.  The meter is set to only read up to ****** and then flips over and should be starting again. My concern is that is doesn't do this and may be starting at ***** or another number. The meter should be checked. Similarly, the local ************ had a jump in its bill this month and they are not in the facility. This has been the only month the meter has flipped over in counting the Kilowatt Hours. 

  Our bill for January of 2024 was $355. We looked at the historic trends and even in the hottest months where we used two window units for air conditioning in one building and much more electricity for cooling our bill wasn't this high. We don't heat with electric. We heat with ******* So, the major jump should not be connected to drop in temperatures that would cause our bill to be double what it has been in the past. The company should be sending someone out to check this and providing assistance other than setting up a budget billing or billing average.

  To address the lack of phone access, I sat on the phone on hold for over one hour to get to speak with a person who transferred me to billing, where I was told there would be at least another hour wait. There was no way to leave a message, send a message, or contact anyone about the situation. The website states there is an online form that can be completed to email in, but there is none. This didn't used to be the case. We used to be able to call and get to speak with someone. At the rate we are being charged, surely the company can hire representatives to take calls. 

  

  Business Response

  Date: 02/22/2025

  Good afternoon, 

  The company has requested a meter test to be performed. In doing this, the meter accuracy and working condition of your meter will be evaluated. To provide you with a proper analysis of your meter test results, usage, account, and billing information, we will have an advanced billing representative or supervisor contact you as follow-up no later than 02/28/25. 

  Thank you,