Thanks for providing me with the right spelling. I was searching for "empower" and didn't get anywhere. Searching for "mpower", on the other hand, got me what I was looking for. https://mpowerenergy.com/:
MPower Energy DBA MPE&G is an independent retail supplier of electricity and natural gas.
MPower Direct is the sales arm for Mpower Energy <https://mpowerenergy.com/> [...]. We build teams of sales consultants to sell 100% renewable energy products to home owners & businesses and help save the planet one step at a time!
If the pitch at my door convinced me, I would have been surprised to discover natural gas is part of my "clean energy" supply. Also, there are many stories about Mpower and similar companies (for example, in Albany, NY <https://www.villagevoice.com/2016/02/02/why-is-albany-letting-these-energy-companies-scam-thousands-of-new-yorkers/>) tricking consumers. For example, costing "less" than Duquesne Light without explaining they can only change supply charges, not distribution charges (which usually ends up costing more than Duquesne immediately), or by hiding a guaranteed 300% rate increase several months after sign-up. My particular pitch included some really fast talk about Russia's war in Ukraine affecting gas prices, but they wouldn't explain or slow down when I asked for details. Chapter 111 of the PA Public Utility Code <http://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pacode?file=/secure/pacode/data/052/chapter111/chap111toc.html&d=> ("MARKETING AND SALES PRACTICES FOR THE RETAIL RESIDENTIAL ENERGY MARKET") covers what should and shouldn't happen during these visits. I Am Not A Laywer, and my interpretation is not legal advice. The pitch I got felt like it didn't follow many of those requirements. For example:
§ 111.8. Agent identification; misrepresentation. (a) A supplier shall issue an identification badge to agents who conduct door-to-door activities or appear at public events. The badge must: (1) Accurately identify the supplier, its trade name and logo. [...] (4) Be prominently displayed.
That chapter mentions the Bureau of Consumer Services ("When a supplier engages in door-to-door sales and marketing activity, the supplier shall notify the Bureau of Consumer Services no later than the morning of the day that the activity begins") which happens to have an online form for complaints <https://www.puc.pa.gov/complaints/informal-complaints/> (only to fill out _after_ contacting Mpower). I don't think Duquesne can help very much with this, but the PUC has a lot more leverage so it should be able to do something. At least this will give the PUC information about which retailers should have their retail licenses renewed. ---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: David Sogg <soggd@duq.edu> To: "Highland Park (neighborhood@highlandparkpa.com)" < neighborhood@highlandparkpa.com> Date: Wed, 21 Sep 2022 21:16:42 +0000 Subject: door knockers by Mpower
Dear neighbors,
I just got a visit from two young men who knocked on my door claiming to be working for “Mpower” which was hired by Duquesne Light (???) to visit every home in “my zipcode” to find out about energy usage. Their spiel was fast and hard to follow, but they seemed to want to know if my energy usage (electric and gas) was above a certain level. If so, they would sell me (???) a green energy plan. They wanted me to check my recent utility statements. I didn’t.
Anyone else hear from these fellows? Any idea what gives?
David