PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION COMPLAINT

COMMISSION INFORMATION

State Public Utility Commission:

[________________________________] Public Utilities Commission

Address: [________________________________]

City, State, ZIP: [________________________________]

Docket/Case Number: [________________________________] (if assigned)

Filing Date: [__/__/____]

CASE CAPTION

BEFORE THE [________________________________] PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION

In the Matter of:

Complainant:

[________________________________]

v.

Respondent Utility:

[________________________________]

Case No. [________________________________]

FORMAL COMPLAINT

PART I: PARTIES

COMPLAINANT INFORMATION

Name: [________________________________]

Type of Complainant:

☐ Individual/Residential Customer

☐ Commercial Customer

☐ Industrial Customer

☐ Business Entity

☐ Municipality/Government Entity

☐ Consumer Advocacy Group

☐ Competitor/Market Participant

☐ Other: [________________________________]

Address: [________________________________]

City, State, ZIP: [________________________________]

Phone: [________________________________]

Email: [________________________________]

Utility Account Number: [________________________________]

Service Address (if different): [________________________________]

COMPLAINANT'S REPRESENTATIVE (if any)

Name: [________________________________]

Firm/Organization: [________________________________]

Address: [________________________________]

Phone: [________________________________]

Email: [________________________________]

Bar Number (if attorney): [________________________________]

RESPONDENT UTILITY

Utility Name: [________________________________]

Type of Utility:

☐ Electric

☐ Natural Gas

☐ Water

☐ Telecommunications

☐ Combined Utility

☐ Other: [________________________________]

Corporate Address: [________________________________]

City, State, ZIP: [________________________________]

Registered Agent: [________________________________]

Commission Docket ID/Certificate No.: [________________________________]

PART II: JURISDICTION AND AUTHORITY

2.1 Commission Jurisdiction

Complainant invokes the jurisdiction of this Commission pursuant to:

☐ [State] Public Utilities Code § [________]

☐ [State] Administrative Code § [________]

☐ Commission Rules of Practice § [________]

☐ Commission General Order No. [________]

☐ Other: [________________________________]

2.2 Basis for Jurisdiction

The Commission has jurisdiction over this matter because:

☐ Respondent is a public utility subject to this Commission's regulation

☐ The complaint concerns rates, charges, or practices within the Commission's authority

☐ The complaint alleges violations of Commission orders or regulations

☐ The complaint concerns service quality or reliability

☐ Other: [________________________________]

2.3 Exhaustion of Remedies

Complainant has attempted to resolve this matter with the Respondent:

☐ Yes - Describe efforts: [________________________________]

☐ No - Explain why informal resolution is not required or appropriate: [________________________________]

PART III: STATEMENT OF FACTS

3.1 Background

[Provide relevant background information about Complainant's relationship with the utility, type of service received, and any relevant history]

[________________________________]

[________________________________]

[________________________________]

3.2 Chronology of Events

3.3 Detailed Facts

[Provide a detailed narrative of the facts giving rise to this complaint. Be specific about dates, amounts, communications, and other relevant details]

Fact 1:
[________________________________]
[________________________________]

Fact 2:
[________________________________]
[________________________________]

Fact 3:
[________________________________]
[________________________________]

Fact 4:
[________________________________]
[________________________________]

Fact 5:
[________________________________]
[________________________________]

PART IV: NATURE OF COMPLAINT

4.1 Type of Complaint (Select all that apply)

Billing and Rates:

☐ Excessive or incorrect charges

☐ Unauthorized rate increase

☐ Improper billing practices

☐ Deposit disputes

☐ Late payment fee disputes

☐ Rate discrimination

☐ Other billing issue: [________________________________]

Service Quality:

☐ Service interruptions/outages

☐ Voltage or pressure problems

☐ Unsafe conditions

☐ Delayed service restoration

☐ Failure to provide adequate service

☐ Other quality issue: [________________________________]

Connection/Disconnection:

☐ Wrongful disconnection

☐ Failure to connect service

☐ Improper disconnection procedure

☐ Reconnection delays

☐ Other connection issue: [________________________________]

Customer Service:

☐ Failure to respond to complaints

☐ Rude or unprofessional treatment

☐ Failure to provide required information

☐ Privacy violations

☐ Other customer service issue: [________________________________]

Regulatory Violations:

☐ Violation of Commission order

☐ Violation of tariff provisions

☐ Violation of Commission rules

☐ Failure to comply with safety regulations

☐ Other regulatory violation: [________________________________]

Infrastructure/Facilities:

☐ Damage from utility facilities

☐ Improper placement of facilities

☐ Failure to maintain facilities

☐ Easement disputes

☐ Other facilities issue: [________________________________]

Competition/Market Issues:

☐ Anti-competitive behavior

☐ Discrimination against competitors

☐ Violation of unbundling requirements

☐ Other market issue: [________________________________]

PART V: LEGAL CLAIMS AND VIOLATIONS

5.1 Statutory Violations

Respondent has violated the following statutory provisions:

Claim 1:

☐ [State] Public Utilities Code § [________]

Description of violation:
[________________________________]
[________________________________]

Claim 2:

☐ [State] Public Utilities Code § [________]

Description of violation:
[________________________________]
[________________________________]

Claim 3:

☐ [State] Public Utilities Code § [________]

Description of violation:
[________________________________]
[________________________________]

5.2 Regulatory Violations

Respondent has violated the following Commission rules, orders, or tariffs:

Violation 1:

☐ Commission Rule/Regulation [________________________________]

☐ Commission Order dated [__/__/____] in Docket [________________________________]

☐ Tariff provision [________________________________]

Description:
[________________________________]
[________________________________]

Violation 2:

☐ Commission Rule/Regulation [________________________________]

☐ Commission Order dated [__/__/____] in Docket [________________________________]

☐ Tariff provision [________________________________]

Description:
[________________________________]
[________________________________]

5.3 Tariff Violations

Respondent has violated the following tariff provisions:

PART VI: DAMAGES AND HARM

6.1 Monetary Damages

6.2 Non-Monetary Harm

☐ Loss of service

☐ Health and safety concerns

☐ Inconvenience and disruption

☐ Damage to credit rating

☐ Business interruption

☐ Other: [________________________________]

6.3 Ongoing Harm

☐ The harmful conduct is ongoing

☐ Harm will continue unless relief is granted

☐ Description of ongoing harm: [________________________________]

PART VII: RELIEF REQUESTED

Complainant respectfully requests that the Commission:

7.1 Monetary Relief

☐ Order Respondent to refund $[________] for overcharges

☐ Order Respondent to pay damages of $[________]

☐ Order Respondent to credit Complainant's account in the amount of $[________]

☐ Order Respondent to waive fees/charges of $[________]

☐ Award interest on amounts owed

☐ Other monetary relief: [________________________________]

7.2 Service-Related Relief

☐ Order Respondent to restore service immediately

☐ Order Respondent to improve service quality

☐ Order Respondent to correct billing

☐ Order Respondent to cease improper practices

☐ Other service relief: [________________________________]

7.3 Regulatory Relief

☐ Find that Respondent violated [________________________________]

☐ Order Respondent to comply with [________________________________]

☐ Impose civil penalties of $[________]

☐ Revoke or modify Respondent's certificate/authorization

☐ Institute investigation of Respondent's practices

☐ Other regulatory relief: [________________________________]

7.4 Injunctive Relief

☐ Issue temporary restraining order to [________________________________]

☐ Issue preliminary injunction to [________________________________]

☐ Issue permanent injunction to [________________________________]

7.5 Other Relief

☐ Award reasonable attorney's fees and costs

☐ Schedule evidentiary hearing

☐ Grant such other relief as the Commission deems appropriate

PART VIII: SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION

8.1 List of Exhibits

8.2 Documents Requested from Respondent

Complainant requests that the Commission order Respondent to produce:

☐ All documents related to Complainant's account

☐ Internal communications regarding this matter

☐ Policies and procedures related to [________________________________]

☐ Other: [________________________________]

PART IX: PROCEDURAL REQUESTS

9.1 Type of Proceeding Requested

☐ Informal complaint resolution

☐ Formal adjudicatory proceeding

☐ Expedited proceeding

☐ Emergency relief

9.2 Hearing Request

☐ Complainant requests an evidentiary hearing

☐ Complainant waives hearing and requests decision on written submissions

9.3 Discovery

☐ Complainant intends to conduct discovery

☐ Complainant requests that discovery schedule be established

9.4 Expedited Treatment

☐ Complainant requests expedited treatment because: [________________________________]

PART X: CERTIFICATION AND SIGNATURE

10.1 Certification

Complainant certifies that:

☐ The statements made in this complaint are true and correct to the best of Complainant's knowledge, information, and belief.

☐ This complaint is not being filed for any improper purpose.

☐ The claims and contentions are warranted by existing law or a good faith argument for modification of existing law.

☐ The allegations have evidentiary support or are likely to have evidentiary support after reasonable investigation.

10.2 Service

Complainant certifies that a copy of this complaint and all attachments has been served on Respondent at the following address:

[________________________________]

[________________________________]

Method of service: ☐ First-class mail ☐ Certified mail ☐ Electronic mail ☐ Hand delivery

Date of service: [__/__/____]

SIGNATURE

Respectfully submitted,

COMPLAINANT:

Signature: [________________________________]

Printed Name: [________________________________]

Date: [__/__/____]

OR

COMPLAINANT'S REPRESENTATIVE:

Signature: [________________________________]

Printed Name: [________________________________]

Title/Position: [________________________________]

Firm: [________________________________]

Bar Number (if attorney): [________________________________]

Date: [__/__/____]

VERIFICATION

State of [________________________________]

County of [________________________________]

I, [________________________________], being first duly sworn, depose and state:

1. I am the Complainant in this proceeding (or authorized representative of the Complainant).

2. I have read the foregoing complaint and know the contents thereof.

3. The facts stated therein are true to the best of my knowledge, information, and belief.

4. The documents attached as exhibits are true and correct copies.

Signature: [________________________________]

Subscribed and sworn before me this [____] day of [________________], 20[____].

Notary Public: [________________________________]

My Commission Expires: [__/__/____]

[NOTARY SEAL]

FILING CHECKLIST

Before Filing, Verify:

☐ All sections of complaint completed

☐ All exhibits attached and properly labeled

☐ Complaint signed

☐ Verification notarized (if required)

☐ Correct number of copies prepared (check Commission rules)

☐ Filing fee included (if required)

☐ Service on Respondent completed

☐ Certificate of service completed

☐ Copy retained for Complainant's records

STATE-SPECIFIC NOTES

California (CPUC):
- File online through the CPUC's e-filing system
- Formal complaints governed by CPUC Rules of Practice and Procedure

Texas (PUCT):
- Governed by PUCT Procedural Rules, 16 TAC Chapter 22
- Complaint must be filed within applicable limitations period

New York (PSC):
- Formal complaints governed by 16 NYCRR Part 12
- Contact the Office of Consumer Services for informal resolution first

Florida (PSC):
- Governed by Florida Administrative Code Chapter 25-22
- Contact the Division of Consumer Assistance for informal resolution

This Public Utility Commission Complaint template is provided for informational purposes only. Commission procedures vary significantly by state. Consult with qualified legal counsel familiar with your state's utility commission before filing.