From its website, “the Delaware Public Service Commission (PSC) works to ensure safe, reliable and reasonably priced cable, electric, natural gas, wastewater, water and telecommunications services for Delaware consumers.” Notably missing is propane gas. This, despite the fact that, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, about 10% of Delaware households use propane for home heating. Why is this important? Beginning last August, Sharp Energy made errors on my propane bills. I was billed a second time for an amount paid. Then, a third time. I was billed a late fee in error. I was dropped from a price cap program because it said, in error, that I was late with a payment. These errors cascaded into the new year. When I tried to meet with Sharp in its Dover office, I was told no one there had time to meet me. The company tried to send me an email showing they had made no errors but failed to address the issues above.
If Sharp Energy’s propane section was part of the Public Service Commission, the commission could ensure that I got a meeting with Sharp, which, I believe, would resolve my issues in short order. Instead, I’m forced to look for someone in its Georgetown office or in Philadelphia, where my payments go, or perhaps its Florida location. It would be nice to be treated like a customer.
Phil Spampinato
Dover
Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at civiltalk@iniusa.org.
