Found what appears to be an unauthorized surcharge on several Dominion Energy bills for clients in Charleston. There's a line item called "System Reliability Fee" at $0.0025/kWh that I can't find in any approved tariffs. Started showing up in October 2023. The customer service reps claim it's part of their fuel adjustment but that doesn't make sense. Has anyone else seen this mysterious fee pop up on Dominion bills?
Dominion Energy unauthorized surcharge - need advice
George, I haven't seen anything like that on Entergy bills here in Louisiana but unauthorized fees are unfortunately becoming more common. Some utilities are testing new charges to see if customers notice before seeking regulatory approval. I'd file a formal complaint with the South Carolina PSC immediately. Document everything - bills, call logs, tariff searches. This sounds like a clear violation if it's not in approved tariffs.
Estelle's right about filing with the PSC. I dealt with something similar when Consumers Energy in Michigan tried to implement an "infrastructure maintenance fee" without approval. Turned out they were testing it on a small group of customers first. The PSC shut it down within two weeks and ordered full refunds. Don't let them brush this off as part of fuel adjustment - that's complete nonsense.
Thanks for the advice. I've documented about 15 customer accounts showing this fee totaling roughly $8,200 in charges since October. Filed complaints with SC PSC this morning and also sent a detailed letter to Dominion's regulatory affairs department. Tina, do you remember how long it took to get refunds after the PSC intervened with Consumers Energy? Trying to set expectations with my clients.
George, the refund process took about 6 weeks after the PSC ruling. Consumers initially tried to claim it was an "administrative error" but eventually admitted they were pilot testing the fee. Your documentation sounds solid - $8,200 across 15 accounts should definitely get the PSC's attention. Make sure you're tracking any additional charges while this gets resolved.
George, excellent work catching this unauthorized fee. This is exactly the kind of regulatory violation that damages utility credibility with customers and regulators. I've seen similar cases where utilities implement "test" charges hoping customers won't notice. The fact that customer service is giving false information about it being part of fuel adjustment makes it even worse. Keep us updated on the PSC response - this could be a significant case.
Update: SC PSC contacted Dominion yesterday and they've agreed to remove the "System Reliability Fee" from all affected accounts by December 1st. Still working on the refund timeline but they've admitted there was no regulatory approval for this charge. Randy was right about utilities testing charges - this was apparently a "pilot program" that somehow went live without proper approvals. Victory for the audit process!
Congratulations on the successful resolution George! As someone new to the field, this case shows why detailed bill review is so critical. A $0.0025/kWh fee might seem small but it adds up quickly across multiple accounts. Your documentation and persistence with the PSC made all the difference. This is a great example for all of us about staying vigilant for unauthorized charges.