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Texas Public Utility Commission: Submitting protests or complaints
When something goes wrong, you deserve to have the issues resolved immediately.
While your first step should be to contact your current electric provider, they are not always able or willing to help. The PUC of Texas will take action on the complaints you file, although this should be your last resort option.
After filing an informal complaint, the Public Utility Commissioners will investigate your case. Their goal is to determine whether the provider is guilty of wrongdoing.
Their evidence will be shown to the company in hopes they will make it right. If they do not, your next step is a formal complaint.
Although this may be necessary if you have been outrageously cheated or wronged, filing a formal complaint may not be worth your time and money. The proceedings are much like a court case; you should consult an attorney before moving forward. Sometimes, the best option is to cut your ties with the company.
The energy market in Texas is deregulated, and you can choose your provider.
Why go through a formal complaint process when switching to another utility company online takes minutes?
ComparePower finds the lowest rates available in your area to ensure that you can choose the provider that best fits your needs.
The PUC of Texas protects your power to choose and hopes you will exercise that right. There is less work and headaches for them and you if you switch providers when a company proves inadequate. Fight the smart way and take your business elsewhere.
Defending consumer energy rights
Since 1975, the Public Utility Commission of Texas has implemented rules and guidelines protecting consumers. They regulate electric utilities and the companies that provide them by finding solutions to customer complaints and investigating pricing and service practices in the energy industry.
At the center of the Public Utility Commission’s mission is providing the power to choose to residents of Texas.
That is the best way to ensure low prices and get the best service and rates available in your area. The Public Utility Commissioners understand the importance of their role and how their rules can help consumers like you.
What’s the job of the Public Utility Commission of Texas?
The original role of the Public Utility Commission, or PUC of Texas, was to ensure that the utility monopoly in Texas didn’t get out of hand. Energy companies had free reign over a particular area, and consumers couldn’t get energy from anyone else.
PUC Substantive rules were created to ensure that the energy industry could not gouge consumers with high prices.
Eventually, lawmakers saw that there were still issues, despite the commission’s work. So in 2002, the Texas Government passed a deregulation law. Suddenly, competition among providers kept prices low and gave consumers the power to choose.
So the PUC adapted and began to oversee the law’s implementation and resolve initial issues.
To this day, the PUC of Texas fields complaints from customers and works to protect the people. Whenever an energy company steps out of line, they are there to impose regulations or sanctions and ensure that big businesses can’t take advantage of Texans across the state.
The authority of the Texas PUC
Some limitations are placed on the Public Utility Commission of Texas, which cannot operate across the whole state. The main threat is from investor-owned utility companies operating in deregulated areas.
The PUC can create rules and sanctions that help control these companies but have no authority over utilities provided by cities and co-ops. They can only suggest that these organizations follow PUC guidelines.
If you live in one of these areas, your prices are determined by the company’s board or the city council members. The Public Utility Commission is not given power over them, and you are not protected in quite the same way.
It would help if you elected board members and city council members that are aware of PUC rules and govern themselves in a way that cares for consumers.
Go to the official Public Utility Commission of Texas website to file an electric complaint form.
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