Arkansas AG starts effort to investigate Summit Utilities for alleged price gouging

Arkansas AG asks the Public Service Commission to further investigate  Summit Utilities | KATV

 

After first being sued by consumers and accused of “price gouging” over its purchases and sales of natural gas, Summit Utilities now faces a possible investigation by Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin. It’s a move that could affect Summits’ nearly 99 thousand customers in Oklahoma.

His office filed a motion with the Arkansas Public Service Commission to investigate how Summit buys its gas and if there are any potential violations related to the gas company’s billing process reported KATV News in Little Rock.

“They’re under an obligation to take steps that are consistent with Arkansas law and regulation when they’re buying gas,” said Griffin during a news conference at which he revealed his office received an estimated 2,800 complaints about the company’s billing practices.

“”We have not had similar complaints regarding other gas companies and I think that’s important to point out,” he added. “That tells me how the gas was purchased, when it was purchased, at a minimum that needs to be examined.”

Summit Utilities is also a utility controlled by the Oklahoma Corporation Commission since some of the company’s 525,000 families and businesses are in Oklahoma. Its Oklahoma footprint, according to testimony in some Summit cases includes nearly 98,890 customers in 36 counties and nearly 2,800 miles of distribution main.

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