Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Energy Company Will Pay $800K After Falsely Promising NYers Cheaper Utility Bills
By
Jake Offenhartz
Published Aug 30, 2017
Modified Aug 30, 2017
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Shutterstock
By
Jake Offenhartz
Published Aug 30, 2017
Modified Aug 30, 2017
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Many New Yorkers who attempted to lower their utility bills only to get scammed by a deceptive energy service company are now eligible for some settlement money. Also, it's been a crisp 68 degrees most nights this week, so it's probably safe to take your air conditioner out of the window—double-savings!
On Wednesday, Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced an $800,000 settlement with Energy Plus after an investigation found the company tricked customers through false marketing practices, and lied about how easy it was to cancel the service. As far back as 2011, enrollees were accusing the company of fraud, and complaining of "inflated energy rates."
"Thousands of New Yorkers were lured by Energy Plus’s false promises of savings, only to be stuck with more expensive energy bills," Schneiderman said. "Energy service companies should be put on notice: we won't allow them to exploit New Yorkers looking to save on their energy bills."
The settlement is part of a larger investigation into energy service companies (ESCOs), or companies that purchase energy on the open market and sell it back to consumers. So far, that investigation has netted $5 million for victims of bogus utility bills, most of it from Columbia Utilities Power and HIKI Energy.
There's also this guy, who saw his bill increase by 771% in one month, after switching to a Kiwi Energy's promise of renewable energy credits.
The latest settlement is available to those who bought electricity or natural gas from Energy Plus after October 15th, 2012. Find out if you're eligible for that sweet, sweet restitution cash here, and those considering switching to an ESCO should head over to the New York State Public Service Commission's website.
Tagged
con ed
Energy Plus
eric schneiderman
ESCO
lawsuit
settlement
Jake Offenhartz
Jake Offenhartz is a former Gothamist reporter.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Bronx man wakes up to a $39K nightmare after online meetup at hotel, NYPD says
Police say a man fell asleep and woke up to find his cash, car and phone missing.
By
Charles Lane
Published Nov 4, 2026 at 4:43 p.m. ET
Brace for bus and bike lane boom following NYC ballot approval
Supporters and foes of street safety projects agree that more of them are now on the horizon.
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
News
Brace for bus and bike lane boom following NYC ballot approval
Supporters and foes of street safety projects agree that more of them are now on the horizon.
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
NY appeals court strikes down Nassau County's ban on transgender athletes
By
Giulia Heyward
4 takeaways after Democrats’ big night in New York
By
Walter Wuthmann
and
Elizabeth Kim
NYC wins court fight over rollout of pied-à-terre tax on luxury second homes
By
Giulia Heyward
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .