FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 6, 2001

Toll Free Number

 800-684-6560

 (PA only)

CONTACT: Susan Henry, Consumer Liaison; e-mail: shenry@paoca.org

HARRISBURG – Consumer Advocate Sonny Popowsky announced today that about 800 former customers of Utility.com in Pennsylvania will be receiving a total of approximately $50,000 in refunds. The refund checks are being sent to customers who reside in the PECO, PPL, GPU, and UGI Electric service territories. Refunds amounting to $70,000 had previously been distributed to about 1,000 former Utility.com customers in the Allegheny Power and Duquesne Light territories.

The checks are being sent by CMA Business Credit Services of Burbank, California, which has been handling Utility.com’s assets since it went out of business in early March 2001. In February 2001, the Office of Consumer Advocate filed a complaint for refunds against Utility.com with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission on behalf of Pennsylvania Utility.com customers who were owed money due to overpayments to Utility.com prior to the termination of their service.

Utility.com was an electric generation supplier located in Emeryville California that did business primarily over the Internet. Since Utility.com stopped serving customers, the Office of Consumer Advocate has been attempting to ensure that Pennsylvania consumers receive any amounts due to them as a result of that termination.

If former Utility.com customers have questions, they can call the OCA toll-free at (800) 684-6560, e-mail consumer@paoca.org or visit www.oca.state.pa.us for frequently asked questions about Utility.com. The OCA is authorized by state law to represent the interest of Pennsylvania consumers in matters involving their utility service.