Yes, you read that right. The Superintendent of Electricity ordered the EDEs – electricity distribution companies – to return RD$25.7 million to clients who have formalized their complaints at the Superintendent of Electricity’s Consumer Protection Office.
The claims deal with incorrect billing, illegal termination of service and other normal problems faced by consumers every day. The Consumer Protection Office receives about 1,000 complaints each month, and experience shows that 70% of the claims are proved to be valid. According to Listin Diario, the biggest culprit during August was EDE-Norte, which now has to credit its clients to the tune of RD$14.6 million. EDE-Este will credit its clients with RD$8.9 million, and EDE-Sur will do the same for RD$2.194 million. Between August 2004 and June 2005, the Superintendent’s office has returned RD$171.9 million to clients of the different electric distribution companies.