MONROE, Ohio — Adam Johnson thought he had found the deal he wanted: a fixed-rate electricity plan with CleanChoice Energy, signed up through Ohio’s state-backed electricity comparison website.
But weeks after enrolling, Johnson says he received a letter that raised red flags. It asked him to confirm his account information, but included authorization paperwork for a different plan, one with a more expensive variable rate instead of the fixed rate he thought he had signed up for.
WATCH: A Monroe man says CleanChoice tried to switch him to a different electricity plan
“I wanted a green, environmentally friendly plan with a fixed rate,” Johnson said.
Johnson says he enrolled at 9.7 cents per kilowatt-hour, with that rate fixed for 12 months. He received confirmation of his enrollment.
Then came the letter.
“There were some red flags. ... The fact that they came back and said, ‘Hey, you know, we're having trouble with your number,’ it didn't make any sense to me,” Johnson said.
Johnson says he never signed or returned the authorization paperwork. He believes the letter was an attempt to get him to agree to a different, potentially more expensive plan without clearly explaining that it was a new offer.
“I’m wondering if they’re still like, they’re signing people up through that initial one, sending them all the authorization forms, and then, you know, getting them to switch over to these higher rates,” Johnson said.
That is Johnson’s suspicion.
Comparing CleanChoice’s offers
WCPO 9 sat down with Johnson to compare the rates CleanChoice Energy was offering through Ohio’s state electricity comparison website with the rates listed directly on the company’s website.
The comparison showed a difference of 1.5 cents per kilowatt-hour between the offers we reviewed. The rate listed through the state’s website was lower than the rate offered directly by CleanChoice.
Johnson says that difference could add up over time.
“Over the course of one billing cycle you might not notice it, but over the period of like 12 months it can be several hundred dollars at least,” he said.
The offers we compared are not necessarily the same plan, and rates and terms can vary. Johnson’s concern is that customers who initially enroll through the state’s comparison website could later be encouraged to authorize a different plan without realizing the terms have changed.
PUCO investigating Johnson’s complaint
Johnson filed a complaint with the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO), which oversees the state’s energy choice program and monitors suppliers for potentially misleading marketing.
Since filing the complaint, Johnson says CleanChoice has reached out to him via email and called him saying, "We received an Ohio PUCO complaint on your behalf and wanted to discuss your concerns to resolve it."
PUCO told WCPO it is investigating Johnson's complaint against CleanChoice Energy and is waiting for the company’s response. The company has 10 business days to respond, according to PUCO spokesperson Brittany Waugaman.
PUCO says it can take enforcement action if it determines a supplier has violated state rules.
“We’re always on the lookout for that. And if we find a supplier is in violation of those rules, usually we’ll go on to do some sort of enforcement action,” Waugaman said.
The investigation is ongoing.
WCPO reached out to CleanChoice Energy for comment about the letters, the different plan terms and the rate comparison, but we have not heard back.
