Commission secures refunds, bill credits for Texas consumers

Austin—The Public Utility Commission of Texas secured refunds and bill credits of $217,156 for Texas electric, water and telecommunications consumers in the first quarter of Fiscal Year 2024 (Sept. 2023 – Nov. 2023). The agency’s Consumer Protection Division (CPD) team of 23 employees assisted customers who reported billing issues or other complaints across the three industries the PUCT regulates, closing a total of 3,174 complaints in Q1.

“Protecting the interests of Texas consumers is the core of our mission at the Public Utility Commission of Texas,” Chris Burch, director of CPD, said. “Our staff in the Consumer Protection Division is available to take consumers’ calls and help them resolve issues with their utility services. We always encourage customers to work with their provider first to resolve complaints, and we are here as a resource if additional help is ever needed.”

The PUCT’s Consumer Protection Division also assists consumers with issues relating to electric, water and telecommunications utility disconnections and refusal of service. In total, the division fielded 7,809 calls from customers throughout the first quarter.

In the fourth quarter of FY 2023, CPD secured refunds and bill credits of $98,211.97 for Texas electric, water and telecommunications consumers and closed 2,598 customer complaints.

The PUCT has important information regarding the rights of consumers on its website.

*Note: These totals are calculated at the end of each fiscal quarter for this announcement. These totals are subject to change as complaints opened during the fiscal quarter progress through the resolution process.