About The Public Utility Commission of Texas
The Public Utility Commission of Texas plays a major role in ensuring you are able to shop for electricity and do so in a way that is fair and easy. They are responsible for licensing retail electricity providers and allowing them to sell energy. They also monitor the competitive activity of these companies within the state of Texas to ensure that all is fair and that everyone is on a level playing field. The PUCT also monitors and approves the delivery rates of transmission and distribution service providers (like Reliant Energy), or local poles and wires. A major part of what they do is managing and responding to consumer complaints. If you have an issue with your energy provider, the PUCT is who to contact. They are responsible for regulating all of the state’s electric, telecommunication, water, and sewer utilities.
Their Mission
The mission of the PUCT is to “protect customers, foster competition, and promote high-quality infrastructure”. This means that they want to protect you from any issues with your utility company and help you resolve any conflict you may come across. They also encourage competition, but they want to make sure it is fair and right. Infrastructure is the poles and wires that deliver your electricity. They want to ensure that these are at the highest quality possible.
Filing an Informal Complaint
One major part of what the PUCT does is helping you resolve any issues between energy companies and their customers. Before you file a complaint with the PUCT, be sure to contact your electric provider to allow them to investigate the complaint and see if they can make things right. If you are unable to resolve the issues on your own, you should then contact the Public Utility Commission of Texas to file a complaint and get everything sorted out. This complaint is informal and does not require anything except simply contacting the PUCT.
What Happens After You File a Complaint
After you send in your complaint, it is reviewed and the process begins. The complaint is then sent to the electricity company you are filing the complaint about. The company is given 21 days to investigate the complaint and respond to the PUCT. Once they receive the response, and the investigator will review it and see if they have broken any laws. The investigator’s resolution will be sent to both you and the company.
Filing a Formal Complaint
If you are unsatisfied by the resolution from your complaint, you may file a formal complaint. T do so, you will need to file a formal document rather than sending a simple email or making a call as with an informal complaint. The PUCT will hold the formal complaint and is similar to a court case. This may lead to a hearing which is much like a trial. If you do decide to file a formal complaint, you may want to hire an attorney to help you throughout the process.
