Viridian Energy Investigated Due To Customer Complaints
3/15/2015
The state of Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority is launching an investigation into Viridian Energy after receiving complaints from customers.
The Authority said, "The Authority has received complaints regarding the assessment of early termination fees by Viridian. Specifically, consumers allege that Viridian automatically renewed customers to a fixed rate contract at the end of a previous contract without customer consent or authorization. If the customers then left Viridian by switching to another supplier or returning to Standard Service during the term of the renewed contract, Viridian assessed an early termination fee on the grounds that the early termination fee provision was contained in the renewed contract."
The Authority has received more than 100 complaints from Viridian customers since 2012. In 2012, the state of Maryland fined Viridian $60,000 for "false and deceptive marketing practices." A class-action lawsuit was also filed in Maryland, claiming that Viridian uses a "bait-and-switch sales model" and that the company is a pyramid scheme.
Viridian issued the following statement: “Viridian Energy looks forward to our meeting with the Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) this Friday and to the ongoing clarification we receive from PURA as part of our close working relationship. Viridian is deeply committed to providing the greatest possible value for Connecticut consumers in a manner that is fully compliant with both PURA standards and state law.”