Based on consumers’ complaints, OPC filed a petition before the D.C. Public Service Commission, on February 18, 2009, to investigate PEPCO consumers’ complaints of unexpected high bills and to direct the Company to fully explain the cause(s) of the unexpected high bills. While PEPCO presented the problem as a winter heating issue, OPC became alarmed because 75% of D.C. ratepayers heat their homes with natural gas, yet the unexpected high bill complaints appeared to be largely coming from PEPCO customers. After the People’s Counsel asked ratepayers to send in their electric bills during a televised interview, OPC received more than 400 high PEPCO bill complaints. That represented a 1,557% increase, compared with 26 complaints received in 2008 for the same billing period.

On March 3, 2009, at the request of Councilmember Jim Graham (Ward 1), OPC asked the PSC to include Washington Gas in the high bill case. The PSC has not yet acted upon OPC’s request. Thereafter, on March 16, OPC requested the PSC take emergency action to discontinue termination of service based on health and safety concerns.

OPC will analyze ratepayers’ bills to determine the causes of the high electric bills. Once the data has been analyzed, OPC will report its findings in a report to the PSC.