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Resident says automatic-enrollment notices led to unexpected energy switches; company says it will investigate
Summary
A resident told a public meeting that a November 2024 notice and a 30-day opt-out window led to customers being enrolled in a new energy program starting January 2025 without clear consent; a company representative said the company investigates complaints and can look up account details.
A resident at a public meeting said a November 2024 notice told customers they would be "automatically enrolled" in a new power program unless they chose a different option within 30 days, and that many people in town did not see the letter and only discovered changes after checking electric bills.
"This one says unless you use a different option by calling us or visiting our website within 30 days, you will be automatically enrolled into power and starts on the day of January 2025," the resident said, describing the notice and saying they had not taken any action yet were concerned about being switched without explicit consent.
The resident said the notices and the opt-out process had eroded trust. "This is sneaky business," they said, and urged clearer communications and stronger consequences when customers are enrolled without intent. They suggested monetary penalties for repeat failures and asked the company and regulators to ensure customers retain the ability to choose providers "of their own free will."
A company representative responded that the company treats such complaints seriously and looks into account-level details. "We take those seriously. We look into all the details that occur with those," the representative said, adding that the company serves many municipalities and counties and can assist customers with account-specific questions. The representative did not state a company name on the record.
The resident also said they had called to opt out on multiple meters and recommended simpler, bullet-point notices and clearer customer-service confirmations so customers would not have to monitor bills closely to spot unauthorized enrollments.
Because the company representative gave inconsistent-sounding counts in the reply ("we have 68 64 municipalities and four counties"), the number of jurisdictions the representative intended to cite was unclear from the record. The resident cited specific dates and timeframes discussed in the meeting: a November 2024 mailing, a 30-day opt-out window, and a planned enrollment start in January 2025.
No formal action or vote was recorded during the meeting. The resident asked for clearer notices and stronger remedies; the company representative said the company would investigate individual complaints and can provide further account information on request.
