Dominion ordered to cease third-party billings

In response to complaints from the public, the Division of Public Utilities and the Office of Consumer Services, the Utah Public Service Commission has ordered Dominion Energy to stop using its billing process to collect charges for third-party services unless the customers have already authorized the charges. 

The case arose from the utility sharing its customer information with third parties, according to a press statement from the Division of Public Utilities. The Public Service Commission will consider new rules for these billing and information-sharing practices, the release said.{mprestriction ids="1,3"} The commission will also require Dominion Energy to credit customers with the value of customer information and access. Those values will be determined in a future proceeding.

What does this mean for Dominion customers? Dominion customers who are currently being billed for HomeServe Insurance products on their gas bill can continue to make HomeServe payments on their bill if they wish. They may also cancel such payments and may also opt to cancel the service by calling HomeServe or Dominion Energy.

Going forward, customers will need to arrange payments directly with the provider. Third-party services may not be billed on a Dominion gas bill unless the arrangement was made before Oct. 4.

The Division of Public Utilities and the Office of Consumer Services will continue advocating for customers to be compensated fairly for the value of the information traded by Dominion Energy, the commission release said. The agencies will also participate in upcoming rulemaking to address utilities’ information-sharing practices to protect customers’ information and privacy.{/mprestriction}