Press Releases

Consumer Advocate's Press Releases.

February 1, 2007

Consumer Advocate Sonny Popowsky statement today at the formal announcement of Governor Rendell’s New Energy Program - Most Pennsylvania electric consumers have been protected by rate caps since restructuring began in 1999 and will continue to receive that protection through 2010.    But as these rate caps come to an end, it is important to have standards in place to ensure that the great majority of customers who still receive generation from their local utility will continue to have access to reliable electric service at reasonable prices.

January 11, 2006

Modem Hijacking Settlement Agreements - Pennsylvania customers who have fallen prey to computer scams that led to unauthorized international long distance charges can now receive refunds or credits on their phone bills due to agreements between the Pennsylvania Office of Consumer Advocate (OCA) and three companies: USBI, Telliss and One Call Communication.  Current and former Pennsylvania consumers who paid unauthorized long distance charges will be eligible to receive a credit or refund for any amounts that they paid to their local telephone companies or to USBI, One Call and Telliss directly.

December 27, 2005

Utility.Com - About 20,000 former Pennsylvania customers of electricity marketer Utility.com will be sharing nearly $200,000 in funds obtained on behalf of those customers by the Office of Consumer Advocate (OCA).  Consumer Advocate Sonny Popowsky said that his Office is mailing checks to those customers for a portion of the “lost savings” that the OCA claimed when Utility.com abandoned the Pennsylvania market and went out of business in early 2001.

April 19, 2005

Modem Hijacking Settlement Agreement - More than two hundred Pennsylvania consumers have received credits or refunds on their Verizon Pennsylvania or Verizon North  bills as a result of the “modem hijacking” settlement agreement entered into last month between Verizon and the Pennsylvania Office of Consumer Advocate.

March 9, 2005

Verizon, Pennsylvania and the Office of Consumer Advocate Announce Agreement to Address Modem Hijacking Charges (PDF Version) - Verizon Long Distance customers in Pennsylvania will have unauthorized international long-distance charges removed from their Verizon phone bills.

May 12, 2004

Pennsylvania Consumer Advocate Sonny Popowsky and the Public Utility Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Services today urged utility consumers who have recently paid their utility bills through a third party to hold on to their receipts, carefully check their next utility bill, and contact the Office of Consumer Advocate or the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission if they have any problem receiving full credit for their prior bill payments.

April 20, 2004

Pennsylvania Consumer Advocate Sonny Popowsky today urged members of the General Assembly to support Representative Mike Veon’s proposed legislation to expand enrollment of Pennsylvania telephone consumers in the federal Lifeline program.

October 10, 2003

Pennsylvania Consumer Advocate Sonny Popowsky today urged members of the General Assembly to support telecommunications legislation that would protect Pennsylvania consumers and accelerate deployment of high-speed telecommunications services throughout Pennsylvania.

August 26, 2003

Pennsylvania Consumer Advocate Sonny Popowsky announced today that his Office has intervened on behalf of customers in Nittany Water Company’s proposed rate increase request.

July 22, 2003

Pennsylvania Consumer Advocate Sonny Popowsky announced today that his Office has intervened on behalf of customers in Penn Estates Utilities Inc.’s proposed rate increase requests.

May 5, 2003

A PUC Administrative Law Judge refused to order Pennsylvania American Water Company (PAWC) to provide water service to the people of Mount Pleasant Township in Washington County

April 24, 2003

Expert Panel Concludes That Both Competitive And Regulated Retail Electricity Markets Must Provide Benefits To Consumers

August 15, 2002

Public Hearings About Water Service In Collier Township

August 7, 2002

Public Hearings Scheduled About Water Service In Hickory, PA

December 6, 2001

Consumer Advocate announced that about 800 former customers of Utility.com in Pennsylvania will be receiving a total of approximately $50,000 in refunds.

May 14, 2001

Consumer Advocate announced that Utility.com will be refunding approximately $70,000 to former customers

October 11, 2000

Consumer Advocate Urges Consumers to Take Advantage of Opportunities to Save Money through Efficiency Measures

October 5, 2000

Office of Consumer Advocate Simplifies Electric Choice Shopping for PECO Energy Customers

September 28, 2000

Consumer Advocate Announces that Titan Energy has Returned Deposit Checks