MA DIG AN SUES ELECTRICITY SUPPLIER FOR DECEPTIVE BUSINESS PRACTICES

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan claims an alternative electricity supplier misled customers to lure them into expensive contracts.

Madigan filed a lawsuit Thursday in Cook County Circuit Court against Sperian Energy Corp., alleging its representatives used “aggressive and deceptive sales tactics” to enroll customers in ComEd territory, according to the attorney general’s office.

The suit claims Sperian sales agents failed to disclose information such as the length or price of contracts, or the existence of a new monthly fee. In some instances, representatives gave customers the false impression that theywere signing up for a discounted rate through ComEd, or that they would save money through a nonexistent energy choice program, the suit claims.

They also failed to let customers knowthat the fixed rates theywere signing up for would only apply for limited time periods, afterwhich they would be switched to amore expensive-month-to- month variable rate plan, according to the suit.

The attorney general’s office claims Sperian customers have paid $ 12 million more in rates and fees since 2012 than they would have with a regulated utility.

The suit is asking the court to revoke Sperian’s license to operate as an alternative retail electric supplier in Illinois, and order it to pay damages.

Sperian CEO Paul Keene said he’s “disappointed” Madigan is filing the lawsuit related to activities that “took place several years ago.”