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Business Profile

Electric Companies

FirstEnergy Corp.

This business is NOT BBB Accredited.

Find BBB Accredited Businesses in Electric Companies.

Complaints

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

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FirstEnergy Corp. has 54 locations, listed below.

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    Customer Complaints Summary

    • 478 total complaints in the last 3 years.
    • 185 complaints closed in the last 12 months.

    If you've experienced an issue

    Submit a Complaint

    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.

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    Complaint status

    Complaint type

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:02/28/2023

      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 complaining because where I live has not had anything resembling consistant service in the 5+ years Ive lived at my address. I have escalated this to the PUCO office that oversees them, but feel that resolution as still not been met. I have been told there has been willful neglect in the upkeep of the lines that feed our neighborhood. We lose power more often and before everone else, and are always the last to have powwr restored, often a day or more at a time causing danger to elderly/sick loved ones within out home and neighborhood as well as our pets. There are known open complaints for them to repair old damaged lines and to trim trees, that have not been completed in over 2 years Ive been activly communicating with PUCO. At one point an agent of First Energy's customer service said if our power keeps going out so much we should get a generator. How is that a solution, that they cant repair and maintain their infatructure that we rely on for health and well being, to keep our heat on and our food fresh and edible, and they tell me I need to purchase expensive equipment on my own dime in order to offset tbeir neglect. I want answers and I want the quality service I am foreced to pay a monthly premium to recieve. I do not feel I am getting a quality product, and after numerous complaints I do not feel this company has our health and well being at heart.

      Business Response

      Date: 03/08/2023

      The customer has had 7
      sustained outages in the last 24 months. 4 outages were due to tree off ROW. 1 outage was due to
      unknown cause. 1 outage was forced to allow for repairs. 1 outage was due to line failure.  The customer experience on momentary outage on top of the outages above.  ESSS inspection was done
      with repairs completed in March 2022. The last tree trimming cycle was
      completed in November 2022.  There were 35 trims (overhanging limbs) and
      4,708 trees pruned. All other repairs were made at the time of the events
      above. An Engineering supervisor called and left message for Mr. ***** on
      3/8/23. A brief message regarding the inspection and tree trimming was left
      with call back information. Ms. ******** was reached on a second number listed
      on the account and left a message for Mr. ***** with her also.  Unfortunately, the company is not able to guarantee an uninterrupted supply of electric.  If there are health concerns from a loss of electricity, the company does encourage to take proper measures to be safe during an outage.
    • Initial Complaint

      Date:02/22/2023

      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.
      Constanlty being hung up on by customer service. Basically being overcharged to the point I have a disconect and I shouldnt owe them anything after recieving over 600$ is gov assistance. But yet they say I owe 400$.

      Business Response

      Date: 03/02/2023

      Good afternoon, 


      Customer is on a **** payment agreement. 


      A bill was issued on 11/10/22.  The bill included past due balance of $178 and current charges of $89 due on 11/28/22, for a total amount due of $267. A disconnect of $178 due by 11/28/22 was also detailed.


      On 11/18/22, a **** credit was received of $175, along with $92 **** obligation credit adjustment. 


      A bill was issued on 12/12/22.  The bill included current charges of $94 due on 12/17/22.  


      On 01/11/23, a **** credit was received of $343, along with a **** deferred arrears debit adjustment of $262.98, leaving customer a remaining credit of $90.02.


      A bill was issued on 01/11/23.  The bill included past due balance of $13.98 and current charges of $94 due on 01/27/23, for a total amount due of $107.98.


      A bill was issued on 02/10/23.  The bill included past due balance of $107.98 and current charges of $94 due on 02/23/23, for a total amount due of $201.98. A disconnect of $107.98 due by 02/23/23 was also detailed.


      On 02/22/23, customer contacted the company and a supervisor reviewed in detail the customers billings, ***** **** credits, and amount due. 


      On 03/01/23, a payment of $107.98 was received, voiding the disconnect, and leaving $94 remaining due. 
    • Initial Complaint

      Date:02/18/2023

      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.
      We started to have issues with our lights dimming to the point that they were almost completely off over the weekend. On 1/30, we woke up and our AV receiver for the **/surround system would no longer turn on. In the meantime, we moved another AV receiver from our basement to the ** & noticed that this AV receiver was turning on/off with every power surge despite being on a surge protector. The only reason we noticed this one doing it was because it makes a clicking noise when it turns on/off where the one we had on the ** until that morning does not. We decided to unplug the back-up AV receiver until the electric was checked b/c AV receivers are not cheap & we didn't want the surge to fry another piece of equipment. That same morning our neighbor texted us to see if we were having electrical issues b/c his lights were going on & off as well. We called West Penn Power to have the electricity checked & were told someone would be out by 12AM and the ** rep noted that the issue fried our AV receiver. No one showed up that night. On 1/31, a man from West Penn Power pulled into our driveway to check the issue. Within minutes, he knew what needed to be fixed without even going up in the truck & said that he would take care of it. I told him that our AV receiver was fried b/c of the electricity issue & he said that we could be reimbursed by calling & submitting a claim for reimbursement. A couple hours later we had 3-4 trucks in front of our house & the transformer was replaced & power restored. Our power never had another issue. On 2/1, we received a letter dated 1/31 from a claims rep stating there was nothing unusual that would explain the loss of our AV receiver and that their equipment had not failed in any way. Mind you the transformer was not replaced until around noon on 1/31. We called on 2/1 & asked for the claim to be reopened for reimbursement. On 2/9 - another letter now acknowledging the equipment failure on their end but still denying the claim.

      Business Response

      Date: 02/28/2023

      No contacts from customer the weekend of 01/30/2023 (01/**/2023 to 01/29/2023).  01/30/2023, dim lights was reported through the automated system.  Work order was created. 
      Estimated restoration time:  01/30/2023 by 07:30 PM.  Later that day, on 01/30/2023, the customer called the ********************** and filed damage claim.  No additional contacts from customer regarding dim lights/********************** outage.  
      The 01/30/2023 claim was denied due to recloser operation.  Recloser are safety devices that are installed on our lines.  When this safety device detects a fault, it will shut off the power for a second or two, until the fault clears.  If the fault does not clear after three operations, the recloser will shut the power off completely.  These recloser operations will only interrupt power; they do not cause anormal voltage.  West Penn Power replaced transformer shortly thereafter due to a problem with a bushing on the transformer.  Smart meter voltage data does not indicate anything out of the ordinary.  West Penn Power is not responsible for customer's home grounding system. 

      02/08/2023, the customer called the ********************** and filed a second damage claim.  Claim was denied due to equipment failure.  We have no way to predict when any of our facilities will fail.  
      Per Regional and Claim Team:  Based on investigation, there is no evidence to suggest negligence on behalf of West Penn Power.
    • Initial Complaint

      Date:02/10/2023

      Type:Billing 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.
      complaint is about a bill for ***** west penn power has know record of me oweing this money but a collection agancy some how they got information saying that i owe this money. they say i owe this money from a bill from oct 10/18/22 but i have not owened this property since 2021 creditor account no#is ************ national recovery agencyno# is ********

      Business Response

      Date: 02/16/2023

      This customer had an active ownership agreement at a previously owned property. This agreement caused service to automatically go into their name once a tenant moves out/ends service. This agreement was agreed to by the customer. Once the customer sold the property, the customer did not notify the ********************** so the agreement remained in place. This customer contacted the ********************** on 02/02/2023 and stated he sold the property in 2021. The company agreed to reverse the bill and the account. The customer stated was satisfied with the phone call. 
      On 02/08/2023, the billing reversal was completed and this customer does not owe this balance. 

      Customer Answer

      Date: 03/07/2024

      The matter was resolved.  It was just an error.
    • Initial Complaint

      Date:02/06/2023

      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 was contacted by text message from ******** ******** ****** about a debt owed to First Energy for $418.92. The text message seemed very suspicious but I responded via email. It appeared that the debt was owed from 2019. I was not contacted until 4 years later. I had not received any prior communication regarding this debt. And it appears to me that First Energy makes up the rules as they go along, decides to charge what they want, and continues to charge consumers excessively even after they leave a residence. My concern is that they will continue to abuse consumers in the future by excessive fees and their vague "record keeping" system. This should not be allowed to stand. I was advised by *********** ***** of *** to contact First Energy to attempt to dispute the charge and for me to inquire if the debt had previously been settled. Upon contacting First Energy they advised me they could only provide records of previous contact and even though I had moved out in July of 2019 it was their policy they COULD CONTINUE TO CHARGE THE PREVIOUS TENANT. They continued to charge me until September2019 and could have continued to charge me according to their policies. They could have continued to charge me until the landlord picked up the utilities or a subsequent tenant moved in even though I contacted them in July to cancel services that month. At the time of contact in July2019 I advised them I would be moving and continued to bill me until September. Additionally, they are not able to pull calls from 2019. I find their recordkeeping system is inept as they have already waited 4 years to contact me. Because they have no record of my call, and they have no record of me stating I was moving, I feel I should not be liable for the debt-It should fall on the landlord. I do not wish to pay this debt as it is excessive They will continue to charge consumers in thiswayandarenotabletopullphonecalls.Theycouldhavecontinuedto chargemeexcessivelyuntiltheydecidedtheydidnotwantto.

      Business Response

      Date: 02/07/2023

      ****** ****** had
      residential service at **** ********** *** ** ************ ** ***** effective
      06/22/17 through 09/10/19.  The last
      payment received was 07/19/19 when Mr. ****** requested service to be restored
      for nonpayment.  A final bill in the amount
      of $418.92 was issued effective 09/10/19 and attached for review.  This amount was sent to an external collection
      agency on three different dates: 11/19/19, 04/21/20 and 01/21/21.  Current collection agency that holds the debt
      is ******** ********* *** and contact number *************


      On 02/06/23, ****** ******
      contacted ******* Edison to determine if he owed a bill as he received a
      message from a collection agency for a balance of $418.92.  Mr. ****** advised he moved out in May 2019.  Company representative advised service
      remained in his name until 09/10/19 when a new occupant requested service.  Confirmed the last payment was July 2019 to
      have service restored for nonpayment. 


      ******** regulatory
      reinstate time limits is 7 years. Mr. ****** is responsible for service until
      09/10/19 for failure to request service out of his name.  He will need to settle the debt owed with the
      collection agency or with the landlord as it is owed in the amount of
      $418.92. 

      Customer Answer

      Date: 02/14/2023

       I am rejecting this response because:


      I have contacted the landlord regarding the bill. They have not provided a response. As per the last conversation with supervisor at the call center of your company, I had advised I would be moving out at the time of paying my final bill- they were unable to pull the phone records at the time and provide any other information other than general information.

      Because of this, I do not wish to pay the bill and feel it should fall on the subsequent tenant or landlord. I had provide ample response and provide explanation that I would be moving out, yet even after speaking with your supervisor at your call center, they were not able to similar record. I would like to dispute this bill and am not willing to make this payment.

      I feel that first energy continually gets to "make up the rules as they go along" - and make up whatever policies they see fit. I was not advised of these policies and have no record of such. I am appalled and insulted that this company has done this AND will continue to do this to low income and fixed income folks in their area of offerings-there is no way or no competitor in this area to select and order services. They will continue to abuse customers with these vague business practices and indescribable rates. 

      I only wish some resolution could come of this as I know and feel that this is pretty evidently happening to many other low income and fixed income folks that have dealings with this company. Disappointing. 

      Business Response

      Date: 02/15/2023

      ******* ****** stands by our original response sent 02/07/23
      that Mr. ****** is responsible for service at
      **** ********** *** ** ************ ** ***** until 09/10/19 for failure to
      request service out of his name.  He will
      need to settle the debt owed with the collection agency or with the landlord as
      it is owed in the amount of $418.92. 


      The only correction is that
      previously stated ******** regulation reinstate limit is 5 years.  The correct regulatory reinstate time limit is 5 years for **** *********

      Customer Answer

      Date: 02/15/2023

       I am rejecting this response because:


      I stand by initial response. I stated I would be leaving at the end of July and the representative failed to notate this onto the account. Upon contacting them to settle the debt they explained the were unable to do so and they were unable to pull any phone conversations consistent with what I am saying. This company is difficult to deal with and is taking advantage of customers . I was never notified of their policies until after the fact. This company is abusing customers with their arbitrary rules- “you have to notify them if you are moving” “we can continue to charge to if it’s within 5 years”-One of which they have no record of my contact. COINCIDENTALLY! Someone needs to look into this as they will continue to abuse customers. They just continue to make up rules and do not notify customers. This debt is more than 4 years old and I do not wish to pay it. This is insulting and I’m afraid others will continue to be abused by their policies. I would not have a concern paying the debt if it were legitimate. I would not have lodged a complaint if I did not have concerns. They are going to continue to say I didn’t contact them because they want my money, but when I state that I have- they coincidentally don’t have any record of it and cannot pull their records. That’s the problem that I have with this. I am not willing to pay this debt.
    • Initial Complaint

      Date:02/03/2023

      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.
      Fraudulent charges for electricity. Meter readings don't match usage - have been traveling for months at time and bill is still high. Meter installed in ****, they say the older it is, the slower/less it would charge. **************** designed to not let you through. If you're disconnected they are unable to call you back by their design.They estimate readings when "they don't have an employee to get there". Intentionally send confusing billing statements due to false estimates and won't change them. Billing includes mid month rate changes that are not noted so you don't know what you're paying for and why. To ask about it you need to spend hours on a phone menu, then are dismissed by the agent. Then disconnected when the questioning gets detailed and they can't answer/know you're now aware this is fraudulent business practice. They are a monopoly - there is no other option for electricity in the area. Attached bill illustrated mid month rate changes that are not noted or explained. Change due to market value change without supporting documentation.

      Business Response

      Date: 02/17/2023

      The Customer's concerns have been forwarded to a Resolution Specialist who will investigate and contact the customer.
    • Initial Complaint

      Date:02/02/2023

      Type:Customer Service 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.
      Absolutely OUTRAGEOUS sent me the final bill with estimated reading and completely ripping me off. The billing period is Nov 16 to Dec 09 2022 is much higher than the previous bill and I did NOT even live on the premises starting from Nov 8 and all what working there was a security camera, which takes $1 a month NOT $44.92. There's still no one lives there and you MUST take ACTUAL reading not estimated. Absolutely outrageous, ripping people off and ZERO conscious. Next step will be to complain to Attorney General.

      Business Response

      Date: 02/06/2023

      Hello,


      On 12/8/22, the customer contacted
      the company via web/online to request service taken out of his name at account ************,
      at ***** ******** ** *** ** ***** ******* ** *****. Per customers request, the
      service was taken out of customers name effective 12/9/22. A final bill issued
      on 1/24/23 for the past due balance of $42.16 and current final balance of
      $44.92 ($21.78 *** consumption charges plus $23.14 Public Power supplier
      charges) the total amount of $87.08 due 2/7/23. Please see the attached statement
      of account detailing billing and payment history.

      The company
      billing department has cancelled the original final bill issued on 1/24/23 and
      rebilled the account. The customer had an alternate supplier that is bill ready
      so once the supplier charges are sent back from the supplier a new corrected
      final bill will issue to the customer.

      Thank you.

      Customer Answer

      Date: 02/06/2023

       I am rejecting this response because:


      You MUST issue the final bill based on the meter reading as simple as that. Please remove the charges as I already stated I didn't live on the premises starting from November 8, 2022 and there's only one electrical device was working, which was a security camera that takes cents per month.
      HORRIBLE 

      Business Response

      Date: 02/07/2023

      Hello,

      The company has agreed to rebill the final bill to zero kwh/consumption. The account has been rebilled and a revised final bill will issue to the customer for zero (0) kwh for the final billing period of 11/16/22 to 12/9/22. 

      Thank you. 

      Customer Answer

      Date: 02/07/2023

       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:01/31/2023

      Type:Product 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 Monday 1/16/2023, the electrical panel in my house started going haywire and caused multiple power strips to be ruined along with internal boiler parts. I contacted a private electrician who determined the electrical issue was on the utility side due to a disconnected neutral wire at the pole. When contacting Met Ed, they were able to see what the issue was and sent someone out to repair the wire. It is unclear how long that wire was disconnected for but what was clear is that is triggered a power surge. I believe this had been down for quite a while since you can see from a google roads image in 2021 that the wire is disconnected. Diagnosing this problem for Met Ed cost around $800 for electricians plus another $500 for them to repair my boiler. They refuse to reimburse me for all of work that was needed to get my house back in working order due to this problem that occurred on their end. Attached are all the statements of work that were performed to identify and repair this issue from this power surge.

      Business Response

      Date: 02/09/2023

      Good afternoon,

       

      The customer's claim is respectfully denied.  The outage that impacted the property on 01/16/23 was the result of the sudden and unforeseeable failure of a line.  In this instance, there is no evidence that the damage was due to any improper conduct on the part of Met-Ed or its employees.  The tariff, adopted by the PUC, states Met Ed shall not be liable for damages due to causes beyond the company's control.

      Customer Answer

      Date: 02/09/2023

       I am rejecting this response because:
      How is met ed not in charge of this? How is it that it is the consumers responsibility to diagnose met eds issues? This has cost me over $1000 worth of damages/electrician fees along with a day without heat in my house. This is unacceptable and I will be taking legal action if necessary 

      Business Response

      Date: 02/09/2023

      Good afternoon,

       

      The company's position has not changed. 

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:01/27/2023

      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.
      Elevated electric bill went from $100 a month to $200 a month. I've contacted them inquiring about it via email. No reply but what I owe. I asked them to evaluate my account. No reply on this. I refused to pay them. I'm being railroaded. My mom bill is $124 for the same size home

      Business Response

      Date: 01/31/2023

      The customer emailed the Company on 11/29/22 to inquiry about the bill. We advised the customer he is enrolled in the budget which was for $142.00. We advised the customer for the bill issued on 11/25/22 for $326.12 he had reached his anniversary month for the budget and the balance of $184.47 became due along with the current budget amount of $142.00. The customer received interest from the security deposit being held on the account for .35 cents which brought the total to $326.12. The customer was offered a make-up payment agreement to break the balance down into payments and advised starting next month the budget amount would begin at $114.00.

      The budget is reviewed quarterly and can go up or down based on usage at the property. At the anniversary month, any difference between what he paid and what he used will become due or credited to the account.

      The customer stated he never signed up for the budget and requested it to be removed. We advised the budget had been on the account since November of 2020. We removed the budget and advised the customer the balance of $326.12 would still be due and beginning next month the bill would be based on actual usage at the property.

      The customer emailed the Company back on 01/27/23 and stated we are over charging him. The customer requested we audit the account and adjust the bill accordingly. We advised the customer he now had a total balance of $717.33, which included the current charges of $208.05, and the past due balance of $509.28. We advised the past due amount is from the bill issued on 12/27/22 for $368.16 and due by 01/17/23, and the bill issued on 11/25/22 for $326.12 and a payment of $185.00 was received which left a remaining balance of $141.12.

      We advised the customer the property does have a smart meter installed which means that we get accurate, daily readings from his meter. The
      billed balances each month are correct as rendered. We advised the customer that in reviewing historical usage at this property, we do show that usage is typically higher in the winter months.

      We advised the customer he can receive a customized home energy audit which is designed to help him save on energy cost.
      Simply log onto our website, ***********************, and click on the Home Energy Analyzer and this helpful tool will analyze your home’s usage to find out how to make it more energy efficient.

      We provided the current price per kWh of 8.51 cents and advised If he would like to have an alternate supplier to try to obtain a cheaper rate, he can find a list of all the companies that are licensed to sell electricity in your state at **************************************.

      The customer should not compare their bill to another customer's bill due to there are many factors to take into consideration when comparing bills, such as the size of the home, how many people live in the home, the type of appliances, based on year and model, and more.

      Customer Answer

      Date: 01/31/2023

       I am rejecting this response because: I never agreed to be on a payment plan that was forced on me.  They replaced meter with a new one then my bills increased obviously there is something wrong with that meter. I want an outside source test it



      Business Response

      Date: 02/01/2023

      Our records show a payment agreement, and the budget was originally set up on the account on 12/05/19. The customer agreed to the terms. When the payment agreement was paid, the budget remained on the account and the customer would have needed to contact the company to request it to be removed from the budget if he no longer wanted.

      The information for the budget is shown on the bill monthly under account summary as "West Penn Power - Payment Plan Amount". In addition, toward the bottom of the bill under "Equal Payment Plan (EPP) Summary" it will show the difference between what the customer has paid while on the budget and the amount he has actually used and what the difference is.

      The meter was last exchanged at the property on 09/15/17. The customer never contacted the company previously to advise of any issues since the meter was exchanged. The customer can contact Customer Service at ************** to request a meter test if he fills the meter is not correct. The existing meter is replaced. The original meter is then tested at the appropriate centralized meter test shop. The customer will be notified of the results of the investigation by the Front Office Follow Up Team. Keep in mind there is a $20.00 fee involved with having the meter tested.

      Customer Answer

      Date: 02/01/2023

       I am rejecting this response because:


      I was never put on budget. I didn't authorize it. That is ******** about my meter i could still  walk them.it was still the old meter. Now they are lying.  Clearly they are making excuses to lime there pockets at people's expense. Just have the meter tested nu an outside source

      I'm disabled and I can't deal with this elevated bills when I'm being railroaded 

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:01/27/2023

      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 started service at a new address. I called in to give the meter reading and the rep told me that was too high and took off 2000 units. The next month they added back the 2000 units of the previous owner to my bill because my reading WAS correct. I asked for them to change the over 50 year old meter because the usage was unusually high. They refused multiple times. I called the ****** ********* ********** and they finally changed the meter. The usage IMMEDIATELY was 2/3 less than what the old meter was showing. It's been over 6 months and they are still charging me the 2000 units from someone else's bill and no resolution on the bad meter. When asked by the ****** ********* ********** if the meter was checked they were told the meter was all of the sudden lost. As of yesterday they said there will be no resolution and the electric will be disconnected if the 2000 units that's not mine is paid

      Business Response

      Date: 01/27/2023

      Good afternoon, 

       

      ***** ******* is not being charged for prior customers
      service as stated.

      On 06/07/22, ***** ******* obtained service at this
      residence. On 06/29/22, an actual reading of 59630 was obtained. On 07/01/22, the
      customer went through the initial billing for the timeframe of 06/07/22 to
      06/29/22, with a start reading (06/07/22) of 58031 and actual reading
      (06/29/23) of 59630 in the amount of $219.06 due 07/15/22.

      On 07/08/22, the customer contacted the company regarding
      the initial bill and the start reading being an estimated reading. The customer
      stated that she obtained a reading of 68552 on 06/15/22. The representative advised
      that could not be correct because an actual reading of 59630 was obtained on
      06/29/22, so the reading that she obtained from the meter on 06/15/22 was most
      likely “58552”.  The representative
      processed an order to rebill the initial bill to a start read of 58552.

      On 08/04/22, the customer was rebilled the initial
      bill for the timeframe of 06/07/22 to 06/29/22, with a start reading (06/07/22)
      of 58552 and actual reading (06/29/23) of 59630, in the amount of $149.12 and was
      also billed for the recent bill timeframe of 06/30/22 to 08/01/22, with an
      actual reading (06/30/22) of 59603 and actual reading (08/01/23) 62011, in the
      amount of $327.68, for a total amount of $476.80 (two billing periods/months). The
      customer made a payment of $140 on 07/27/22, bringing the amount due to
      $336.80.

      On 08/30/22, the meter at this address was exchanged
      per the customer’s request. A reading of 63536 was obtained from the meter when
      it was exchanged, confirming that the reading on 06/29/20 of 59630 and on
      08/01/23 of 62011 was correct.

      Actual readings have been obtained since the meter exchange.
      An account statement is attached, which details this. The only estimated reading/billing
      was the initial bill, which was corrected. There is not a way for the company
      to tell a customer exactly where usage is coming from. Customer is billed for
      what is used. The company can recommend that the customer perform a breaker
      test in an effort to determine what in the location is using the most power and/or
      if there is a problem with anything within the location. The breaker test is
      performed by momentarily shutting off each breaker, one at a time, and watching
      to see whether the spinning wheel on meter slows down drastically. This will
      pinpoint the breaker and circuit that are drawing the most power.

      The customer is not paying the amount due each month
      and as a result, each billing has carried over a past due balance from the
      prior bill.

      The company is willing to review a Customer Billing
      Analysis (CBA) with the customer in an effort to determine what all was being
      used in the household and the potential monthly usage. The CBA is only as accurate
      and beneficial as the information provided by the customer. If the customer
      fails to provide all accurate information, then the CBA with neither be
      accurate or beneficial. If the customer wishes to review a CBA, the customer
      will need to contact the company and speak to a representative.

      As information:  Typically, when a meter ages, it stops working as well as it did when it
      was new, as with anything that ages, and stops capturing all of the usage
      flowing through the meter. The customer would begin getting lower
      usage/billings, not higher.  

      Customer Answer

      Date: 01/30/2023

       I am rejecting this response because:
      The initial reading that I called in with was 60552, not 68552. The rep responded that it was too high, saying she would input 58552. The next month the 2000 units was added back on my bill when an actual reading was done. When I called in to complain about the previous owners usage being added to my bill, the account was put on hold and I was told no payments were due until it was investigated. I still made payments on the bill. During this time I also requested for months for the meter to be changed, as the usage was way too high for the home. After months they finally changed the 50+ year old meter to a new digital one. A reading was taken and photographed by me every day through the month of September. The usage recorded was 1/3 of the previous usage with the old meter. First energy said the meter would be checked. When I called in to inquire, I was told first that the meter had not been changed, then that the meter was changed and moved. The meter was never moved. After 5 months of the public utilities commission contacting first energy, they admitted that the meter was lost and had not been checked. The answer I got when I called in is that their meters never go bad. Their manager, ******, stated that the extreme decrease in usage was due to the temp changing. The usage was immediately 1/3 lower from August 31 to September 1 with the exact same outdoor temperature. The usage stayed over 1/3 lower through the month of September with almost exact same temps as August. The company is responsible for testing the failed meters and they did not and SUPRISINGLY the meter is now lost. I was told that they were not offering a resolution and that the hold was being taken off and that the account would be subject to disconnect unless payment arraignment was made. This was escalated with the ****** ********* ********** to go to a hearing. 

      Business Response

      Date: 01/30/2023

      Good afternoon,

       

      The company stands by its position.

      Customer Answer

      Date: 02/02/2023

       I am rejecting this response because:
      Just one look at this companies ratings shows how they operate as a business. They have been overcharging customers for years. I will continue to escalate the fraud with the ****** ********* *********** 

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