E.L.K. Energy fined for cutting off electricity
Energy board rules company severed service prematurely
Another area electric company has been fined after an investigation by the Ontario Energy Board determined the utility improperly disconnected customers last year and should not have charged them reconnection fees.
E.L.K. Energy — which services customers in Essex, Harrow, Belle River, Comber, Kingsville and Cottam — has agreed under a joint decision that it will pay a penalty of $18,000 and make an additional payment of $5,000 to the Low Income Energy Assistance Program.
The Ontario Energy Board investigation concluded that between May and November 2019, approximately 2,000 customers were sent disconnection notices that did not comply with all of OEB requirements. After receiving non-compliant disconnection notices, 111 customers had their electricity disconnected and were charged reconnection fees.
As a result of the energy board's investigation, E.L.K. Energy has provided a full refund to those customers.
“Customers facing disconnection must be provided accurate information in their disconnection notices so that they know what they need to do to avoid being disconnected,” said Brian Hewson, the energy board's vice-president of consumer protection. “If a utility does not provide that information, customers are at risk of being harmed.
“With the actions we have taken — and E.L.K. Energy's assurance — consumers will be better protected.”
The E.L.K. penalties are just the latest of what appears to be a crackdown on enforcement of rules by Ontario Energy Board.
Last week, the board announced Enwin Utilities, which services home in the Windsor area, agreed to pay nearly $70,000 in penalties after the energy board determined the company improperly or prematurely disconnected dozens of local customers during a twomonth time frame last year.
In an agreed upon decision, Enwin admitted it acted in a non-compliant manner with OEB rules involving the disconnection of 263 customers in May and June 2019.
Similar to Enwin, E.L.K. was found to have disconnected the power of some customers due to arrears that included amounts owed for water and sewer systems.
The board does not allow power providers to disconnect a customer's electricity service for non-payment of charges that do not relate to electricity.
As a result, E.L.K. Energy failed to ensure customers who were at risk of disconnection understood the overdue amount they needed to pay for electricity to avoid disconnection, the energy board said.
Also, the disconnection notices handed out by E.L.K. “lacked detailed information about payment methods and bill assistance programs” as required by the OEB. They did not properly advise customers of the earliest and latest possible dates of disconnection, the energy board said.