Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission enhances settlement with PPL over billing issues

LUZERNE COUNTY(WOLF) — The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission has implemented a motion to enhance a proposed settlement concerning widespread consumer billing issues that affected customers of PPL Electric Utilities through much of 2023.

The Commission voted 3-2 to approve a joint motion between the PUC’s independent Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement.. and PPL.

It’s an issue people in the commonwealth have voiced their frustration on, about seeing their bills much higher than expected due to a “technical issue,”.

Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission says it is prudent to revise the terms.

This settlement orders PPL to donate $1 Million to the customer hardship fund by PUC.

“There was a $1 million suggested in the proposed settlement, the enhanced settlement, to go into a fund to help these people that feel they never got properly adjusted,” said State Representative Jim Haddock (D) of the 118th Legislative District.

State Representative Jim Haddock (D) of the 118th Legislative District says so far, we have had a year where bills have been stable and this report will ensure the proper steps were taken.

According to PUC, PPL contributing money to the hardship fund will help customers with income at or below 250 percent of the federal poverty level to pay their electric bills, keep their electric service on, and receive referrals to other assistance programs.

“Then, there was reporting, PPL has to make a more accurate reporter, a more detailed report to exactly see what happened, explain it, and come clean with that,” he said.

This came following a deeper look at more than 16 hundred comments filed by concerned people about PPL’s billing issues and the proposed settlement.

“A year ago’s heating season, people felt they overpaid their bills, there still were a lot of large bills people were not paying, and they were unable to pay. The settlement did several things that were proposed, and it would cost PPL $16 million in hard and soft costs,” said Haddock.

“But I felt the report was inadequate, we did not get enough information as to what exactly transpired," he said.

“I’m excited about this new proposed settlement, this enhanced settlement from the directors at the PUC, it was a 3-2 vote. I’m glad three people stood with the consumers and heard the cries from the guys in the legislature who said you cant do this to Pennsylvania residents,” he added.

FOX56 spoke to a resident of Drums, she shared she's been a customer of PPL for five years.

“It’s been horrible, the bills horrible, I’ve been paying $400-500 a month. I went on vacation for a little while, and my house was completely closed, no light on, and the bill still came up to $400-500, which I don’t understand why,” said Nalla Reyes of Drums.

“People deserve to know what's going on, and the prices need to be lower,’ she said.

PLL released a statement saying they appreciate the Commission considering this matter and will review the order once it becomes available.

They will continue to build upon the significant work they already have done to support their customers, continuously improve their service, and prevent a billing issue like this from occurring again.

The decision gives PPL and I&E 20 days during which either party may elect to withdraw from the joint settlement, as modified by the Commission. If either or both choose to withdraw, then the underlying settlement agreement becomes void, and the matter will be returned to I&E for further action as warranted.

In addition to the hardship fund contribution, the motion from Chairman DeFrank and Commissioner Zerfuss also modifies the joint settlement to require more detailed reporting on the cause and impact of PPL’s billing problems, and other steps to enhance transparency and consumer protection, including:

A deeper analysis of PPL’s billing issues, including a root cause analysis and report on that analysis, which will be provided to the Commission, Pennsylvania’s consumer and small business advocates, and the Public Utility Law Project.

Additional refunds and relief by PPL for any customer identified by the root cause analysis as not being properly addressed.

Greater transparency by PPL regarding how customer balances and terminations, including whether refunds and foregone bills sufficiently addressed the harm to consumers; whether PPL’s six-month termination moratorium during the billing issues was sufficient time to help all impacted customers; and the impact on the eligibility of some customers for utility assistance programs such as LIHEAP.

Revisions to the formula used by PPL to generate estimated bills.

Details concerning how PPL calculated the $1 million in refunds which have already been provided to consumers.

A specific timeline for implementation of corrective actions included in the settlement.