Since the fall our bill have been climbing dramatically even after weather proofing all doors and windows and keeping out thermostat at 65 degrees. we went from $443 to $761 to $1145...all this time using the fireplace fan to help heat out home and bundling up more while inside...this cannot be right. I plan to get 7 On Your Side to investigate...

I get a bill from Allegheny Power stating "Dear Customer, Our records indicate that ver the last 12 months, termination notices were issued on this account at least three times. In accordance with the Allegheny Pwers tariffs and State Regulatory Agency regulations, we are requesting payment of a security deposit must be paid in the ammount shown below ($188.00). The deposit will serve as security for payment of future bills.
Now let me clarify that yes we have been late on payments and yes we have had termination notices but we have always made the payment the required. I also need to not mine entire bill for tis month including past balance is $177.87.
How is this fair. I don't pay my bill late to be cute. I can't pay until I have the money. And it's not like I have a choice in what power company I use. So why do they need a securit deposit especially one that exceeds my monthy bill. If I don't pay my bill then shut off the power. And then they can collect the $200.00 reconnection fees I don't have.
This is electric not cable, phone or internet. They know a household can not function without electricty and I have no choice but to use their company.
But here's the kicker if I pay my bill $177.87 they will be applied it to the security deposit amount first and if the rest of my total bill (monthly and security) is not paid by the due date they will terminate even though I paid my actual amount due.
Merry Christmas Allegheny Power!!!

Just a couple of days ago, I recieved two pieces of mail from Allegheny power.One I knew was my bill, but the other I had no idea.Upon opening it, I found that they are charging me a $117.00 security deposit, due the same date as my next bill, which is roughly two weeks from now.Their reasoning for this? Well, since I have had 3 shut off notices in 12 months, they feel that I deserve to pay this amount, in full, or face possible termination of service.

But what I feel is wrong about this is the fact that my service has NEVER been shut off.Yes, ive been late a few times.But never has it been shut off, and ive been here 3 years.Im a single mom just trying to get by, and when money is low, I first pay what MUST be paid out of neccesity.In the colder months, that is my heating bill, which can blow up to almost $500 monthly in the winter.(gas heat.)

How is it lawful for them to charge this extra security deposit? I paid a deposit when I first got service turned on, what was that for? Obviously it was for nothing because now they are demanding another one! This seems like a very underhanded thing to be doing.They are focusing on getting extra money out of people who CLEARLY do not have extra money to throw around.

Ive seen a couple other complaints on here concerning this, and I hope it gets noticed by somebody who can do something.

We have lived in our house for 5 years and have never had an electric bill over $320.00. Last billing cycle my bill was 387.00 and I was like ok the price increase isn't to bad. Well we just received our current bill and it was $814. I have inquired around to some of the neighbors and apparently we were not the only household that had such a HUGE bill. All of our bills were an average of $300 and all of the sudden all of ours are now over $800. Something is wrong with this picture. All of us have called and complained and they have given us the same story about what could possibly being pulling our current. Heat was the number one excuse, well we have gas heat. So I told them to come up with something else and they claimed my hot water heater could be going bad or my well pump. So I had a plumber come to my house and check those two possibilities out and the plumber said all in good working order. I find it impossible that several houses in my subdivision is going through the same situation as myself. I feel we are being ripped off. If I did not find this as being awkward most of my neighbors would have just paid there bill or made payment arrangements to cover bill and prayed that next bill would not be as large as this one. I feel we all need to stick together and figure out why all of us has had such a HUGE rate increase.

Allegheny Power Strikes Again!

First, they overcharged us thousands of kilowatt hours that was only found because we found it. Gee, they "estimate" our usage 10 times higher than it is, consistently. I wonder why that is? They basically said "Oops"!
That translated into a $350 reduction of our electric bill. (We knew they were wrong - we are frugal! Lights off, utilities unplugged when not in use, freezing our tushies off all winter not turning on the electric heat, hovering in front of a wood stove to stay warm!)

Bad enough they’ve instituted a thirty percent rate increase over two years (and that's not even what pissed me off, that it is just more of the greedy, take-what-you-can-get-and-run mentality that is rampant in Corporate Amerika these days.)

Here's the kicker. One week after we called them on their over-estimation, we get a letter the basically states: Our research has indicated you are under-secured. Therefore, you must pay an additional $351 security deposit (think the amount is coincidental? Me thinks not...) due with your next bill. If you do not pay this deposit in full with your next bill, your electric service may be terminated.

We have had this account for two years, paid a security deposit when we started it (which they still have), and we’re managing to meet our obligations responsibly in spite of a rotten economy. So why do they want more at this time?

You know what their excuse for this additional security deposit is (besides the fact that the government just lifted the regulations on the industry so the pirates are free to rape and pillage at will?) They are doing it to offset losses from foreclosures where people are walking away from their final bills. Oh, that makes sense, put it on the backs of us who are barely surviving, push more to the brink of foreclosure. How about your executives take a modest cut in pay instead?

And apparently they have heard from a lot of angry people. When you google Allegheny Power the complaints are all over the web. Like from the people who received, unsolicited, two of the new fangled curly cue light bulbs in the mail, courtesy of Allegheny Power. Then got charged $.96 a month for a year. Even though they didn't request the light bulbs. Even if they returned the light bulbs. And had their electricity cut off if they refused to pay the surcharge. Unbelievable!

I REALLY, REALLY HATE CORPORATE GREED! Especially in these times when we should all be looking for solutions together, not having to deal with Corporations grabbing all the loot they can while running to their off-shore hideaways in their corporate jets.

So, if you have your electricity through Allegheny Power, let them know you dislike their unfair practices. And look into other options for electricity providers. If you don’t – stay as far away from this company as you possibly can.

All I can say to Allegheny Power is this - Bad Form! Now, as to what I can do about it (wicked evil grin) that, my friends, is another story altogether. Posting this complaint is merely the beginning of my perfectly legal and multi-armed attack against their corporate greed.