After weeks of research and a zillion phone calls, Saturday we signed the contract for our solar installation and paid our deposit. For those who have solar or have investigated solar, you know that’s a good chunk of change.
All the deregulation/choosing a power company is confusing and I probably don’t have it all right but our power company has just been deregulated . . effective May 1 and we have to choose a new Retail Electric Provider (REP). There probably aren’t 50 homes in our county that are in this newly deregulated group . . it’s mostly the county south of us and our company is a very small company to begin with. The most confusing part is that all of our town, all of our county, all of our zip code, except the few of us on the small company, are all on a large company with lots of perks and benefits (and paying about half per kW that we’re paying). Those on the large company were deregulated 10 or 12 years ago so they’re not involved in all this. When we call the REPs, we give them our address and they apparently assumed we were with Oncor, even though we told them we were switching due to the new deregulation.
From about 36 REPs, there are 3 that will buy back excess renewable energy (in our case . . solar). So, we chose one, made our deal with the solar company, signed the contract, paid our money and were good to go . . til yesterday when I called the company to go ahead and make the switch and . . they told me they don’t offer any kind of net metering or buy back program for those of us in the newly deregulated group. WHAT? They were the company who sent their solar installers out here to check everything and give us a price! And now they tell us they don’t even offer that in our area! We’ve just signed a contract based on what you told us. Vince had emails from them, he had names and numbers but still . . they didn’t budge. We began calling the other two companies that offer buy back and I really spent about 6 hours on the phone. One company couldn’t even figure out where we were and I kept saying “Just tell me what’s the problem! Are you trying to find us on Google maps? Do you need our EIS ID?” and he said “They’ve taken away one of our tools!” I was so frustrated!
Last night, it looked like the best we could do was go with the third company who would buy back the extra power but at half of what we were paying when we bought power from them. Originally, we thought we had a deal that the company would give us full credit . . if they took 1 kW from us, they would give us back 1 kW when we needed it but the new plan appeared to be that they would take 1 kW and give us back 1/2 kW when we needed it.
Vince kept calling higher up the ladder and finally, this morning, we think we have a deal . . not with the original company, but with the 2nd company, and they will give us full credit for each kW they get from us.
I suppose we’re dealing with an area where there isn’t a lot of interest so the people we were talking to weren’t real familiar with it all but after spending the day dealing with all those power companies, and people who didn’t have a clue what I was talking about, who didn’t care that they had told us one thing and now were telling us something completely different . . companies who don’t stand by what they’ve told us . . it has me shaking my head in disbelief. What do you do when you call a company, ask questions and get answers .. even in writing? Do you believe what they tell you? Do you base your decisions on that information? What happens when you can’t trust what they’ve told you?
It also makes me wonder where’s the accountability?
I’m glad our issue seems to be solved . . but I keep waiting for the new company to call back and say “We changed our mind!”
Sherrill says
Sounds EXACTLY like when I speak to anyone in the federal government (Office of Personnel Management) re: my survivor annuity and the insurance that they ‘accidentally’ deleted when my husband passed (instead of switching me to single coverage, they deleted me entirely!!) and I’m STILL dealing with that a yr and a half later! Hours and HOURS on the phone, one person telling me one thing, another person telling me something else!!! YES, I feel your pain (though I hope yours doesn’t continue for a yr and a half!!).
Linda Enneking says
When we tried to get cable tv service here in western Ohio,, the only person we could talk with was in Florida. She insisted their company does not offer service in our area, even when we told her our next door neighbors and the people across the road are customers of her company. After several calls my husband finally got an appointment set up but no one came on the appointed day. Now I am trying to get service on a laptop I bought in December. A technician came three weeks ago and installed a new motherboard. It worked fine until yesterday, now it won’t boot up. Can’t wait to spend another couple of hours on the phone over this.
Mary in VA says
My parents have had the same problem with a cable TV cmpany. You can contact the Better Business Bureau and file a complaint, also most states have a state energy committee that oversees the power companies. Neither one will solve your issue, but it will let someone know that there was a problem with that company and people who are interested in using them will be able to see that as well.
Susan says
Wow, what a mess! I’m glad it seems to be worked out, but I’d have a problem trusting it to last, too, if I’d been through all that.
Linda in NE says
I know this is going to sound very negative and cynical, but if a company stands to make money off you they can’t be trusted. And, I guess that stands for individuals too. We need to do our due diligence in everything…..and it sounds like you’ve done that. Good luck.
Vickie VanDyken says
oh man, what will today bring???What is this world coming to when one company gives you written acknowledgements and then rescinds them??? You think you are doing the right and good thing…and get swatted right between the eyes. 🙁 Hang tough! I sure hope it all comes out in the wash and next year when you have no electric bill…you can laugh at it all…I sure hope you can!!
Teri Jordan says
accountability…..what’s that…..no one is accountable for anything anymore…..why do you think our country is in such a world of hurt…..
Vivian Oaks says
Sorry you’ve had to deal with unreasonable people… it really IS frustrating. Here in PA we’ve had deregulation for years, but this year some people signed up for a couple of companies that offered a “variable rate” after 6 months, and last month a bunch of people had bills that went from less than $100 a month to over $1,000 a month! Some were over $3,000 a month! Needless to say, the government people are now investigating. Glad I didn’t sign up with them!!!
Katie Z. says
We have no electric company choice in our neck of the woods. I wish we did, but I think I’m also grateful I don’t have to call so many companies to set it up!
Julie in WA says
Wow, sorry to read about all the trouble you are experiencing. I guess I am surprised that with all the sun you have in Texas that there are so few that take advantage of the “free” resource of clean energy! Now if only there was a way to harness the energy of liquid sunshine….we have plenty of it here in the Pacific NW!
Bev Austin says
Hi, Glad to hear you are signed up somewhere. My DD who lives close by, installed solar last year, very happy with it.. The solar company, in the past two years here has discovered that they are losing their profits as more and more people go to solar and are also cutting the amount that one would think acceptable. Were we younger, we’d not hesitate to go for it also.
Hilary says
We tried to get solar but no buy backs around here yet. I wasn’t investing 30K + then still have to pay when it was cloudy. My luck, Texas would get record rain and clouds as soon as I did sign on the dotted line. Good luck. I already walked that line a year or so ago. No luck here.
Theresa says
Unless Texas gets a net metering law like they have in California, the policies will be piecemeal and subject to change. It wouldn’t change my mind about getting solar; even if they don’t buy it back, you don’t have to pay for what you don’t use and there’s a whole lot of sun in Texas. But you could write your Governor about your desire for net metering.
Donna Williams says
It is a sad state of affairs, these days. No accountability, no taking responsibility for actions. Just plain sad. That’s not how we were brought up. I do not understand why the customer service (laughable term) people do not understand when I get unhappy with their lack of service. That’s just the way it is – that’s what I hear them saying. They just muddle through their day and go home without giving a rat’s patootie. I feel for you and hope all works out well.
heather sedlacek says
So sorry you are having such troubles Judy! Like several others have said, you just can’t trust anyone these days. When we were looking for a new house we needed a place with internet service. We checked with the cable company and they assured us there was service available so we put an offer on a house. When we called to schedule installation- you guessed it- no service available. Oh, yes they said our cable does run right in front of your house however it is not connected to the network. WHY would you go to the expense of running the cable and then not connect it so that people could start giving you money! Off the grid is sounding better and better 🙂