Respond Power

Review: Electricity rates started at $.0699 and were quadrupled in Feb to .28966 and tripled in March to .20218. Phone wait times on customer service exceed an hour. I was promised a credit last month that never happened. This fleecing of consumers needs to stop. How can anyone justify a 400% increase in their rates?Desired Settlement: I want a refund on the excessive rates for Feb and March 2014. No company should be able to quadruple their rates for utility service with no notice. Their customer service is non-existent. My income is basically stagnant in this economy and my electric can raise their rates 400%! I will not stand for this.

Business

Response:

Good Morning,

We are sorry the customer is dissatisfied with his experience. According to the complaint, the

customer is unhappy with the recent rate being charged. The customer has been corresponding with our customer service department and should continue to do.

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.

We are truly sorry for your

experience.

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: This company says we signed up with there company by phone in which was done by a telemarketer and we are on the no call list and now my electric bill is skyrocketing . Ive called met ed and they told me to call respond power . I talked to a [redacted] ([redacted]) and she said they cant adjust the bill and she would have a [redacted] call me before 5 pm on the [redacted] of march. Ive stopped my direct withdraw with my bank which is what Met Ed told me to do. I will pay what I owe, but Met Ed told me to stop the direct withdraw until I hear from this company !Desired Settlement: I would like to pay what I normally pay for electric service and not be taken advantage of .

Business

Response:

Good Afternoon,

According to the complaint, the

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

didn’t believe that our company had contacted and properly signed anyone in the

household up.

The customer agreed to a variable rate contract and we have a verification recording, meaning his rate would be

determined by the energy market. We have left a message for the customer letting him know this.

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.

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

I have not heard the recording from which Respond Power supposedly got the authorization to become our electric provider !! So I'm not happy with there explanation ! I want my bill to be lowered or partial refund . They took advantage of us ..

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

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

Good Afternoon,

The customer received the additional information he requested from our customer service department via email on 3/**/14. If he should require further assistance he should continue to communicate with our customer service department.

Regards

Review: Sales representatives knocked on my son's college apartment door. They insinuated that they were from [redacted] company and that my son and his roommate were getting overcharged and that they needed to sign a form in order to correct it. They were very forceful and made the roommates feel they needed to sign the document or they would lose service. When my son called Respond Power to inquire / complain about what happened the responded said something rude and hung up on him. This company is preying on college students.Desired Settlement: I checkec with [redacted]. Their kilwatt charge would have been 4 cents per kilowatt. Respond Energy charged 16 cents perThe kilowatt usage was 800 kilowatt. I would like to see a 12 cent per kilowatt refund for 800 kilowatts or $96.

Business

Response:

Good Evening,

We do not have the account holder's name or address to fully respond to this complaint, but we will respond to what was stated by the complainant. The sales representatives of our partner vendor are prohibited from representing themselves as agents of the local utility. We protect against this in four ways: (1) the reps must wear Respond Power/Major Energy branded clothing; (2) the reps must wear an identification badge; (3) the sales agreements have our company name and logo on them; and (4) the third-party verification call asks the customer if they understand that the reps do not represent the local utility. That said, we will certainly take the customer's concerns into account as we continue to evaluate sales practices.

Thank you,

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

Regardless of what your sales personnel are required to wear or what badge they carry or that the sales agreement has your company logo...what is practiced in the field preying is on young students, who are not savvy enough to question the logo, badge, etc. The building the sales reps were conducting their predatory sales tactics is filled with college students. No 3rd party follow-up call was made to ensure these kids knew that they would be charged more than double of what they would have paid otherwise.

The name on the account is [redacted] he is copied on this note. His address is : [redacted]

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

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

We apologize for the inconvenience. Unfortunately, because the customer was validly enrolled in the variable rate program, no refund is warranted. 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 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.

Consumer

Response:

At this time, I have not been contacted by Respond Power, LLC regarding complaint ID [redacted].

Sincerely,

Review: I have west penn power as my electric company, and respond power claims they could give me a lower rate and within a month their rate tripled and my bill doubled, it is usually about $134.00 and this month my bill was $356.00. Please do not switch to this company, they have false advertising and do not come through with what they say they are going to do.Desired Settlement: I stopped service with them and will continue my service with west penn power.

Business

Response:

Review: PRICE GAUGING! OVER BILLING! I have been using DECREASING amounts of electricity over the last 3 months and yet my bill has INCREASED. Went from $200 in January, to $600 in February, to $800 in March! The average price for electricity is $0.08, and yet Respond Power has increased their prices to $0.32 during the winter! In order to get a more reasonable price, $0.09, they want customers to sign on to their fixed rate contract. Also, getting a hold of any customer service representative is close to impossible. I'll be put on hold for about 20-30 minutes and then be forced to leave a message to be called back, BUT AM NEVER CALLED BACK. WORST COMPANY EVER! THEY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEIR CUSTOMERS AND OVER CHARGE THEM TO GET THEM TO EXTEND THEIR CONTRACT BY ANOTHER YEAR.Desired Settlement: I absolutely refuse to pay $800. I have been living in this house for the last 2 years and the more expensive bill I have ever received was around $200 in the middle of last winter. I signed on to Respond Power because they had a good price at the time and then they turned around and screwed over their customers. I have ALL of my bills from the last 2 years that show that once I switched to Respond Power, that our prices skyrocketed even though we have used LESS POWER. I want to have my bill adjusted or not have to pay this outrageous $800 bill.

Business

Response:

Good Morning,

According to the complaint, the

customer is unhappy with the recent rate being charged. Customer has spoken with our customer service department since making the complaint.

The customer agreed to a variable

rate contract, meaning the rate would be determined by the energy market.

As has been widely reported, there

has been a spike in the wholesale energy market which was reflected on the most

recent bill. This is merely a reflection of the current energy market where a

shrinking supply of electricity is under the strain of massive demand due to

one of the coldest winters on record. We are referring customers to the

February **press release from the PUC regarding this issue. (Please see

attached) In addition, this is not just happening in Pennsylvania.

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

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:

I understand that I had agreed to a variable rate plan, and that this past winter was exceptionally cold, and that the incidence of rates increasing is not a localized event, however, when in the process of canceling my account, I was researching the prices of other suppliers to see what their rates are in order to compare. From the list of suppliers for my region, the average rate they were advertising was between $0.08-0.13 per kWh. Respond Power was advertised at $0.10. I am confused as to why I was changed $0.32 per kWh when the advertised rate is far below that. If there is such a discrepancy between supply and demand, I would assume that the advertised rate would reflect that along with the advertised rate amongst other suppliers. I also find it ridiculous that before receiving my bill for $800, I checked my account to see the "bill-to-date" and at day 20 of a 31 day billing cycle, the charges were only $120. I find it amazing how within 11 days we were able to accrue $680 worth of charges. The company is correct in that I canceled my account, but I am stuck with them until April **. I just checked me account to see where my bill is currently at, and at 21 days into my cycle, the bill is $139. Regardless of the variable rate, the charges are outlandish and ridiculous.

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:

Respond Power did not address my concerns in my last email. They were completed avoided. I would love to speak to customer service, however, in my experience, that has proven to be a fruitless endeavor. I know that they will continue to avoid my complaint but I cannot accept their response at this time.

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

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

Good Morning,

We are sorry the customer remains unhappy with our responses.

Regards,

Review: A [redacted] person from Respond Power came to my door in November of 2012 and promised energy savings (below PECO rates) if I signed up for a variable rate with Respond Power. The [redacted] claimed that while the rate is variable, it would always be lower than PECO. In March of 2014, my rate skyrocketed and I was hit with a $300 bill. I called PECO and they said that Respond Power was charging a rate much higher than PECO's. I called Respond Power and was on hold for 45 minutes on March **, 2014 before I had to hang up. I called back at 11:30 AM on March **and was on hold for 40 minutes before reaching an agent. The agent was rude and condescending and hung up on me before I had all of my questions answered. I was calm and pleasant on the call and there was no reason for the agent to be to short or to hang up. Therefore, my complaint is twofold: (1) Respond Power [redacted] misrepresented the service and (2) Respond Power did not provide adequate customer service. They were not accessible in a reasonable amount of time, and once I did reach a [redacted] her service was unacceptably substandard not to mention rude.,Desired Settlement: A phone call from a manager so that I can address my customer service concerns and a billing adjustment to match the PECO rates.

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]

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]

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

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

Good Morning,

We are sorry the customer was dissatisfied with our previous response. The [redacted] the customer interacted with works for an independent partner vendor. They are instructed never to guarantee lower rates. In light of the customer's comments, we will be reviewing [redacted] policies with the vendor to ensure that no deviation from that instruction has occurred. We also apologize for the long wait to speak with one of our customer service [redacted]s. We have been experiencing a drastic increase in call volume over the past several months. We have recently taken steps to better serve our customers through our customer service department. Our records indicate that one of our customer service [redacted]s contacted the customer on 3/**/13 but the customer declined further service. Again, we apologize if the customer has had a bad experience.

Regards,

Review: My boyfriend and I signed up for the alternative energy source Respond Power under the pretense that their rates were cheaper than that of Peco. The past two bills we have received have proved otherwise. We were charged double and then triple the rates Peco charges. We have spent the past week and a half trying to get in contact with someone. We have tried to leave voicemails only to find that the mailbox is full, we have sent four emails questioning our bill, and I waited on the phone for fifty minutes to talk to a representative only to be told I could not be spoken to since I was not the primary account holder and was then hung up on. My boyfriend finally spoke to a customer representative named [redacted] who informed him we agreed to a variable energy rate. When asked to prove such an agreement, [redacted] stated that he would email us with the proof that same night. Not surprisingly, no email was ever received and that was days ago.Desired Settlement: I would like my bills to be adjusted using the flat and competitive rate we agreed to initially. It is unfair to lure customers into a fair/cheaper rate and then charge them three times the rate of competitors. Furthermore, I would like my service to be canceled immediately so I can return to Peco, where I find their energy rates much more reliable and fair.

Business

Response:

Good Afternoon,

We are sorry the customer has been dissatisfied with her experience. The customer was able to talk to a customer service representative today and was offered some options for lowering their rate going forward. I included some information to better explain why energy rates have been so high this winter.

Regards,

Why Have

Energy Bills Increased – Explaining Price Volatility

It has

been a record cold winter across much of the country, and many have been

expressing deep concern as to why energy bills have been so high. Regardless of

whether energy is purchased from a utility or a competitive energy supplier,

customers have seen electricity and natural gas prices spike in many parts of

the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions.

Why did

prices rise?

Simply

put, the issues at hand are the cold weather, electric grid and natural gas

pipeline capacity, and the increasing use of natural gas not just for heating

purposes, but to create electricity.

There is

ample gas supply in the United States, especially given the boom in shale gas.

What customers are feeling are the results of a strained transportation and

infrastructure system that delivers electricity and gas. When demand is high

and capacity is constrained, costs increase.

This

winter’s “polar vortex” has increased the demand for both natural gas and

electricity, resulting in significant congestion in the natural gas pipelines

and on the electric grid (the highways of the energy system). Everyone relies

on these natural gas pipelines and the electric grid to get energy from where

it is produced to where it is used by the homeowner, the tenant, and the

business owner. Just like only so many cars can efficiently travel along a

highway, only so much natural gas and electricity can move through the natural

gas pipeline system and the electric grid.

Also,

while more and more people are using natural gas directly for heating purposes,

electricity generators are also increasingly using natural gas to produce

affordable power. In the short-term, this electricity generation is putting

further strain on the natural gas capacity in certain parts of the country. At

the same time there are also bottlenecks on some parts of the electric grid,

preventing electricity from getting from the generators to the consumers in an

efficient manner.

It’s

known from economics that constraints on supply (such as not being able to get

gas from where it is plentiful to where it is needed) cause prices to rise, and

this has occurred in the wholesale energy markets. The result? Competitive

energy suppliers and utilities alike are paying higher than normal prices when

purchasing from the wholesale market in order to provide energy to homeowners,

tenants, and business owners. This is causing everyone’s bills to rise.

As the

winter weather gradually improves and temperatures rise, the demand for energy

to heat homes and businesses will decrease, placing less pressure on the

nation’s electricity grid and allowing energy prices from suppliers and

utilities to normalize. However, winter weather may very likely be around for

some weeks to come. Despite the unusual weather, the gas and electric delivery

systems have proven to be highly reliable this winter. A number of new natural

gas pipelines and electricity transmission lines are planned or under

construction which should reduce the chances of a similar price spike in the

future.

In the

meantime, there are some things that can be done to help manage energy bills.

Conserve energy as much as possible. For example, make sure

doors and windows are well insulated, seal any air leaks, and lower the

water temperature setting to 120 degrees on the water heater.

Customers using a competitive supplier and who are on a

variable rate plan or whose fixed contracts have expired, should review

their contract to confirm the accuracy of the pricing and call their

supplier if they have any questions.

Customers interested in price stability can also investigate

fixed price options that many suppliers offer.

Customers in need of financial assistance should investigate

their state’s home heating assistance programs. In many states, a customer

can stay with a competitive supplier and still receive assistance paying

utility bills.

Customers should visit their

state’s “energy shopping” websites to compare offers from different suppliers.

For a list of shopping websites, visit [redacted]

Review: The two gentlemen that came door-to-door discussed a price of 0.069 per kwh on electricity for 12months. They completed the form which I signed; they had me a voice verification with a phone operator. The first month of electricity was indeed this 0.069 but then the second month was 0.1071 which caused a 50% increase in cost of electricity! I have called Respond Power at ###-###-#### and the operator advised that is the current price for "variable" customers; I reiterated that I was told on my doorstep face-to-face with the two gentlemen that the rate would be the 6.9% for 12 months. "Current customer" prices were not revealed to me by the men nor the phone operator at time of sign-up, nor was I offered the rate of the "6month fixed" nor the "12month fixed" that day (which are currently 9+% and 8+%, as of my phone discussion with their customer service dept on Nov ** 2013). None of this is listed on their website. The only other source of rate comparisons I have is papowerswitch.com, and I have screenshots of most of 2013 which shows Respond's rate as being 6.9%. Plus, I have the screenshot showing that this "introductory rate" is not the "first month only". Regardless, my online research for electricity rates was not determined solely based on website information. It was based on my face-to-face discussion with the salesmen; it was my understanding that the 6.9% would be held for the following 12 months if I signed up through them. Besides the $45 I feel I was overcharged this month, the next reading will also be "by Respond Power LLC" so the next bill will likely have what I feel is an overcharge, because it will include days from this month which I am not capable of doing a mid-month-plan-switch.Desired Settlement: It is my desired outcome that the $45 difference from this month, plus the difference upcoming from next month, be credited back to my PPL electric bill. (Now that I am more aware of the advertising practices of these electricity providers, I can make a more informed decision about which plan to stay on.)

Business

Response:

The customer contends they were sold a 12 month fixed contract of .069/kWh.

Review: I recently got a $400 electric bill from my electric company and nothing in my home had changed. I looked at my bill and seen that my electric company only charged me my normal $90.00 but the was another company on my bill for $300 charge. I call my electric company (penelec ) and asked them about it and they said it had nothing to do with them. That the company in question was not part of penelec. And they sated that I must have signed a contract with the company in question. They also told me that it happens often. That this company does this to many people forging a contract and then charging people 4 times the going rate for there service. I contact them and was furious. The customer service person tried to tell me that I didn't sign up for it but someone else signed me up for it..someone I never heard of. Then tried to tell me that there is a $500 fee for cancelation. This place is a complete scam. Jackets illegal scamers!!!!Desired Settlement: I will not pay these people a cent I will see them in court. No judge would expect me to pay a cent to these people.

Business

Response:

To whom it may concern; Thank you for taking the

time to reach out to us regarding this matter. After an investigation

into your account and how you were enrolled, it has been determined that

your wife[redacted] enrolled your residence in our

services. With regards to the Early termination fee which you refer, that has been waived and you no longer need to concern yourself with that as a courtesy. Regarding the service prices, your wife chose the rate and it is up to each customer to choose only those rates which are competitive with the utility which they compete. If the rate your wife signed a contract for was higher than that which you have been paying from your utility that is a math equation which only you are equipped to answer. Thank you for your time and effort in this matter. Sincerely, Customer Service Representative

Consumer

Response:

I am not married. I do not have a wife or anyone named [redacted] in my home. There is on the other hand a mentally ill girl named [redacted] who was residing in my home for a short time. But the way this company conducts the business is menacing. I want people to know about this I want everyone to know about my story.

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

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

Hello, Thank you for taking the time to respond to this matter, however to be clear; you opened your home to a mentally ill person, who then turns around and misrepresents their position as your wife to enroll you in services, and the company that was given a material misrepresentation is "menacing"? I am sorry for your inconveniences but it appears as though the person that you should be directing this aggression is to the person that represented their position as your spouse to enroll you in services you didn't want and not the business that offered a service that people are free to either accept if it is in their interest or decline if it is not. Thank you for your time and I hope you have a wonderful day. Sincerely, Customer service Representative

Review: My daughter, [redacted], has asked for my help to resolve a complaint about her electric bill. She never authorized Respond Power to be her electric company, but only noticed them on her recent bill because the charges were so high. She does recall a Respond Power rep knocking on her door sometime last summer, but she never authorized anything, either verbally or in writing.

I have attempted to contact Respond Power several times over the past couple of days, but have not been successful. I first called them 3/*/14 and their recorded greeting asked me to leave my number so they could call me back. They never called. Therefore, on 3/*/14 I placed another call at 12:10 and not trusting their call-back feature, I opted to remain on hold. Their recorded voice told me I was #14 in the queue, when I got to the # 4 position, I heard a message that gave me no option but to leave a message, which I did. I then placed another call to them at 1:14, and again at 1:45. For both of these calls, I remained on hold for 20 – 15 minutes; each time I heard the queue number announcement, and when I was close (# 2), I was cut off from the cue and told to leave a message. Again, no one called me back.

Frustration at the phone calls led me to try an online route. I went to their website, found the “contact us” feature and typed out a brief summary of the issue, and asked for a phone call. The automatic response says to expect a response within one business day. It is now past that time.Desired Settlement: Because there was NEVER a contract or any type of agreement to switch to Respond Power, and because their rates have now gone more than DOUBLE her previous rate, I request a refund of $600 -- $800.

Business

Response:

Review: The company has charged us $322.64 on Dec [redacted],2013 and $408.61 on Jan **, 2014 and $626.45 on Feb, [redacted], 2014. They have not read our electric meter for a long time. We have two feet of snow for the last few weeks without any evidence of someone getting near our meter. We have been in Florida since Oct. 2013 and have returned Feb. **, 2014. Our thermostat is set on 50 degrees while we were away and is now turned off (our main source of heat is propane). I have called Respond Power several times and even left messages to no avail. I believe they are over charging us and have not even read our electric meter.Desired Settlement: They should have read our electric meter before billing us an extremely high estimate.

Business

Response:

We believe there is some confusion in regards to this complaint.

Respond Power is an alternative electric supplier. We do not read meters, that is a utility related task. In PPL, all customers have "smart meters" which read hourly, so any reading would most likely be accurate.

We have included a PUC press release on the increases in the wholesale energy market.

We will be calling Ms. Hall to discuss her concerns at the number provided on the complaint

Review: I want to go on record for others to see. Respond Energy was my energy provider in Pennsylvania. My contract with them, which I never saw supposedly expired and they began charging me what they call the Fair Market energy rate. In February their rate was 12 cents per KWH, when the person under contract at this time paid and the approved PECO rate was approximately 9 cents per KWH, I found another supplier to transfer to and then for the final billing period (1 month later) Respond Energy raised the rate to .3999 per KWH over three times the month before which defied belief.I contacted them to discuss and was told there was nothing they could do that it was tied to the NY index and if I didn't like it file a complaint. So I have filed a complaint with the PUC but wanted to also file a complaint with the Revdex.com to alert others of this practice.Also when you call customer service the representatives do not have any authority and really didn't make any effort to assist, just wanted to try to resign me up again.I would hope this would serve to warn others and if any relief can be had through this complaint that would be a bonus.Desired Settlement: The State of Pennsylvania isn't doing anything but I hope I can prevent one more hardworking family from being swindled like this.If I can get relief from the total amount owed through the Revdex.com's efforts it would be a bonus.

Business

Response:

Good Morning,

We are sorry the customer is dissatisfied. Please note, that in no way was customer’s last rate while enrolled with our company retaliatory. That was the

rate all variable rate PECO customers were billed. Assuming customer did not

cancel and made no change on the account, customer would have been billed that

rate. We will address the customer's other concerns through the PUC.

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:

They state the rate is the same all PECO customers where variable rates were charged. I would appreciate it if the business would provide the location where I can view and understand how their rate is derived and the basis of their determination. I would agree that I am not being singled out and that a good number of customers are being affected but I do want to understand, as well as I am sure other customers, how the rate is determined.

There are up to 13,000 claims relating to electric supply rates against various suppliers with the PUC which shows I am not alone and that this is one of the pitfalls of deregulation. Thank you for following up.

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

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

Good Morning,

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: over price electric bill. Promise me. I would at least save a penny .Desired Settlement: Cut the price in halve then cut ties immediately. PECOS price is a quarter of their price

Business

Response:

Good Evening,

According to the complaint, the

customer is unhappy with the recent rate being charged. Since making the complaint the customer has communicated with our customer service department and cancelled their service.

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]

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] These people come into your house saying they can beat your local provider's rate, which is also a variable rate. That even if you save a penny it would be worth it. They use the Revdex.com as a selling point. Our bill is twice the amount of our what our local provider is charging. It is on a recorded line that you can cancel at any time. There is no mention or written fine print that states 1-2 billing periods. This is what I call a scam. With 1-2 more billing cycles at double or triple the rate of our local provider. What can I do? I want to make sure the word gets out that this company is a scam.

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 with our response. Please note that we send requests to cancel to the utility company within 24 hours of receiving them. It is then up to the utility to make the switch. We have no control over the 1 - 2 billing cycle time frame. Again, we are sorry.

Regards,

Review: my energy provider is PECO...several months ago two representatives from respond power came to my door and said an alternate company will be available shortly and if I can share my previous bill from PECO, he will contact his company to see if they can offer a competitive rate...[redacted] agent # [redacted] filled out an "inquiry form" using my information and said someone will contact my shortly...this month my electric bill was at an all time high and when I investigated the small print, I realized respond power was now my provider and raised the commodity charge 400%...I attempted to call their customer service but the wait time is over 30 minutes and impossible to speak to anyone...I then contacted PECO and the representative said she has been receiving many complaints of the same nature...in my opinion this is deceitful, unethical, and illegal and I refuse to just pay this outrageous bill...turns out the "inquiry form" was a "sales order" that [redacted] filled out for me and had me initial it but didn't show me the form, he held it so just the signature line was visibleDesired Settlement: I would like respond power to adjust my bills using PECO's commodity charge which is significantly lower and send me a final bill...as of April [redacted]I am back with PECO...perhaps it is only a few agents that are deceitful and interested in only their own gains and this does not reflect company procedure...if respond power does not comply, this is a legal matter and there should be repercussions

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. I have attached a copy of the sales agreement and the third-party verification call.

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]

first of all, your representative, [redacted], filled out a form (it is not my handwriting)that he said was just using for information purposes...not a sales agreement and he didn't show me the form or explain he was checking the variable rate...second, my name is [redacted] not [redacted]...third of all, the line that he asked me to initial (he did not give me the form to view) has my initials but not my signature; I would be happy to send you a copy of my drivers license to verify that is not my signature...fourth of all, the verification phone call was on his cell phone and barely audible, again he said it was for inquiry purposes and not to switch over...the bottom line is that customers are being deceived then ripped off...I have been a PECO customer for over twenty years and no longer go over my bill closely because there is no reason to after all this time (or so I thought)...apparently I have been switched over to respond since sept, 2013 and when I spoke to a PECO representative, they informed me that I have been over-charged (what you call variable rate) since...fifth of all, I have been trying to call respond power repeatedly and the initial computer generated voice says "wait time will be 30 minutes or more"...how is this possible of a business that cares about their customers and are dedicated to providing the best rates (that is what your website states)...in lieu of the deception and lack of response I have received from respond energy (I have also sent two emails), I believe I have not been given an appropriate response and I do not feel I am entitled to pay them anything higher than what I would have been charged by PECO...the reason I cancelled my service initially is because PECO answers their calls and they were the only people I could get some answers from

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

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

This customer's complaint was handled directly and the matter is now closed.

Consumer

Response:

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

Sincerely,

Review: the effective date of our choosing respond power was 11-**-2012 the rate was to be a fixed rate. I am an intelligent person and would never have agreed to a variable rate.my service started as such and then must have switched since my bills have doubled and now almost tripled in the last 2 months. We are an elderly couple who live alone and even do laundry only once a week. last month my bill soared to $333.00 and this month to $518 even though the graft show we used less. this is absurd. We cannot afford such bills. Many people I know who have respond power, their bill have not changed in this drastic manner. I have been on the phone waiting many hour to even speak to a human being. I plan on taking additional action if this cannot be rectified.I realize it has been a cold winter but I do not have electric heat! There has to be something wrong here I do not plan on paying my most recent bill until some sort of resolution to my situation is address in a satisfactory manner thank youDesired Settlement: I would like to see my past bills evaluated as to what my bills should have been for my original fixed rate and I would like to be reimbursted the difference in what I paid and in what my bill should have been. I do not plan on paying my last bill until I hear from you I really do hope you take this as as a serious matter and will try to rectify this most disturbing matter for me. I feel as if we have really been gouged by this matter.

Business

Response:

A refund has been sent to this customer.

Consumer

Response:

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

Sincerely,

Review: Over the past month I have attempted to contact Respond Power LLC by way of telephone and email. The charges on my electric service provided by the company have recently dramatically risen in price. I have tried to contact them 4 times over the telephone. Each time I have been on hold in excess of over 35 minutes. Twice over 1 hour. On two of these occasions I have had the opportunity to speak to a representative from Respond Power. Both times I got through to speak to an employee I was asked for the name of my local energy supplier and my account number for the supplier, which I provided immediately. After the representative received this information, I was asked to 'hold on.' At this point I was immediate disconnected from the call, or hung up on.

I am simply trying to review my bill with a service representative and receive explanation of the gigantic increase in rates. However, Respond Power does not seem to care to provide explanation, or have the appropriate staffing available to do so.Desired Settlement: I would like the opportunity to review my bill with an employee of Respond Power, and be able to decide what my options are moving foward

Business

Response:

This complaint was settled with our customer service department.

Review: My fiancee and I signed a contract with Respond Power, last year. Our primary provider is JCP&L; however, Respond Power informed us, as well as stipulated in our contract, that our monthly bill would lower, as a result of signing on with a supplemental company. The past few months we have noticed our electric bill is exceptionally high, for two people that live in an 800 sq. ft. apartment. We contacted JCP&L who informed us that Respond Power has been slowly raising their rates over the past six months, in fact, causing our monthly bill to be higher, a contradiction to their purpose. The representative went on to say that Respond Power originally charged 10 cents for every dollar JCP&L charged us and has since then raised their rate to 20 cents.

Upon finding this out last week, both my fiancé and I have tried contacting their office several times. Upon a twenty minute hold each time, an answering machine comes on asking the caller to leave a detailed message and ensures the caller they will receive a response within twenty four hours. Needless to say we have contacted them both by phone message and through e-mail and we have yet to hear back from them. We have been thorough with our messages, explaining our purpose is to simply cancel their service, to avoid high bills in the future. JCP&L has been kind enough to place a 30 day hold on our account, to allow us some time to resolve the matter, and to send someone for an actual meter reading.Desired Settlement: Seeing as JCP&l is not holding us responsible for the $600 we incorrectly owe them from last month and this month, our only desire is to discontinue our services with Respond Power, from this point forward, and we ask for an apology regarding their false claim to respond to customers within 24 hours, seeing as we have necessary documentation that proves otherwise. Thank you.

Business

Response:

Review: Respond power guarantee a lower competative rate ..lower then the company I had before them and the rate for the last two months is double the old company I had... I called respondand they said there is nothing they can do..so I guess this is a scamDesired Settlement: Honor their garanttee andstop ripping people off

Business

Response:

[redacted] agreed to a variable rate contract on 7/**/13 (see attached). There is no language on the agreement he signed that corresponds with his allegations of a "guarantee" of a lower rate than the company he had before joining our service.

Unfortunately, the national energy market skyrocketed affecting millions of customers including [redacted].

His account is canceled with Respond Power and will return to PPL on March **.

Thank you.

Respond Power

Review: I have tried more then 5 times to contact Respond Power in the last week to inquire about current charges to my [redacted] bill. Their sales associate assured me that I would be paying less then [redacted] if we used Respond Power. This is obviously not the case. There has been no response (ironic), furthermore, after being placed on hold for over 30 minutes every time the automated phone server sends me to a voice mail box which has not led to anyone returning me phone call or messages. My current bill states that I am to be charged twice the amount in Commodity than what was agreed upon. At this point, I would like to discontinue using Respond Energy but have no way of doing so. I would also like to express concerns that my next bill will be as high and I would rather not pay the over charges.

My account number is [redacted]. Under the [redacted]Desired Settlement: Desired outcome would be for Respond Energy to refund any charges over what [redacted]'s prices have been over the last 3 months and a termination of any contract. Their sales associate assured me that I would be paying less then [redacted] if we used Respond Power. This is obviously not the case.

Business

Response:

Good Afternoon,

According to the complaint, the customer is unhappy with the recent rate being charged.

The customer agreed to 12 month fixed rate contract. After that 12 months, the customer's account switched to a variable rate plan, 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.

We are truly sorry for your experience. If you have further concerns please contact customer service.

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 do not except Respond Powers response. The message does not explain how they cannot field any of 5-6 phone calls made during their regular business hours. Only after filing a complaint to the Revdex.com did anyone from Respond Power try to reach out to me. Furthermore, Respond Power claims to have sent a letter to my place of business before the rates skyrocketed to over 3x's the agreed upon rate. As they're attempt to resolve my situation is to send a blanket email siting "Global Vortex" as the reason for their price gouging, I decline this feeble attempt.

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

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

Good Morning,

We are sorry the customer was unhappy with our previous response. We are also sorry the customer had so much trouble contacting our customer service department. Due to ongoing repercussions from the winter, our call volume rose drastically. We have recently made modifications to our system in order to better serve our customers.

Regards,

Review: Below is the email I sent to the Respond Power:I have called the number you provide on the sales agreement[redacted] and ###-###-#### and have left messages - with no one returning my calls. My husband has sat on hold never getting though to anyone. I still have not received a call from your company. I have sat on hold up to 2 hours and 16 mins. still with no live person - this is unacceptable. The agreement you provided me was for a 6 month period starting June **, 2013 - which should have expired on December **, 2013. I recently reviewed my bills from PECO only to find out the reason my bills are so high is because you are still invoicing me on my PECO bill. I did cancel your service on the PECO side and they will not recognize you as a provider on my PECO bill anymore. Since my agreement was for a 6 month variable rate - I do expect to receive a credit in the amount of $471.02 - which includes my January ($62-04) - February ($107.09) and March ($301.89) bills.Since you have charged my PECO invoice - I am sure you can credit the above amount to the PECO invoice as well.I will be submitting this request in writing to the Revdex.com.My address is : XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXThank you,[redacted] and [redacted] XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXDesired Settlement: I would like a credit applied to my PECO account:The charges that should not have been on my Peco bill since the agreement expired in December is in the amount of $471.02 - which includes my January ($62-04) - February ($107.09) and March ($301.89) bills.

Business

Response:

This complaint has been settled.