Rhode Island Energy billing process audited after jump in customer complaints

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — Thursday the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission met to discuss an audit of Rhode Island energy’s billing process.

The audit stems from a spike in customer complaints that started last year.

Thousands of customers complained they were either overcharged, or didn’t receive a bill for extended periods of time.

According to a docket filed by the public utilities commission, complaints coincided with Rhode Island Energy’s billing system transition in August of last year.

The billing transition happened because RI Energy was acquired by PPL Rhode Island Holdings LLC from the National Grid.

According to the docket filed last May, the commission found 7,388 customer accounts were billed under the wrong supplier.

Since then, the company has canceled and re-billed affected accounts under their new supplier.

The rate hike was initially believed to be tied to winter energy rate increases but more irregularities were found.

Additionally, over 6,000 customers didn’t receive a bill at all for months or longer.

The commission confirmed most accounts affected were non-residential customers accounts and state agencies.

However, the commission says some residential customers were impacted.

But the transition of the billing system wasn’t the only issue found.

According to the Rhode Island Office for Energy Resources (OER), the over-charging was a result of state accounts not being properly credited for virtual net metering allocations, which is the use of solar incentive payments.

The OER found approximately $984,000 in overcharges to state agencies.

The OER confirmed 22 state agencies were impacted.

However, the OER confirmed that most of the billing issues are resolved.

Rhode Island Energy was required to submit a request for proposal to obtain services from an independent consulting firm for the audit.

On Monday, RI Energy submitted the bid results with a recommended third-party company.

Today the commission voted to approve the bidder.

The vendor hasn’t been made public yet, but we’ve reached out to RI Energy for more information.

The commission will then contract with RI Energy to conduct the audit at the commission’s direction.