From the Office of the Massachusetts Attorney General:
Boston — Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell is demanding that two propane gas companies serving Massachusetts consumers, AmeriGas and Superior Plus Propane, immediately remedy the operational problems that delayed propane gas delivery to households, leaving hundreds of residents without heat or hot water this winter.
“Gas companies have an obligation to deliver the services they promise on time and reliably. Leaving households without heat or hot water during the cold winter months after requiring customers to rely on them exclusively for this service is both dangerous and unacceptable,” said Campbell. “AmeriGas and Superior Plus Propane must immediately fix the problems that have left consumers with empty or nearly empty gas tanks this heating season.”
The demand letters sent on Tuesday, February 24, explain that over the course of this heating season, the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) has received over 67 complaints from Massachusetts consumers reporting that AmeriGas and Superior Plus failed to deliver propane gas, causing customers’ propane tanks to reach dangerously low levels or run empty. Consumers reported that the companies locked them into exclusive contracts then failed to deliver propane, leaving households without heat or hot water and unable to turn to another provider in case of an emergency.
When consumers attempted to contact the companies about these dangerous delays, they reported unreasonable wait times and interactions with company representatives that still left their issues unresolved.
Many households rely on propane gas for home heating, hot water, and cooking. This is especially true in rural areas that lack access to a natural gas grid. Many of these customers are elderly or families with limited financial resources. Leaving them without home heat for days or weeks is dangerous and can cause a significant risk to their health and safety.
The letter demands that the companies immediately examine and remedy the problems in their operations within the Commonwealth to ensure timely and adequate delivery of propane to all Massachusetts customers without further disruption. It also requests that the companies provide written documentation of their efforts to the AGO.
Massachusetts residents experiencing problems with a business are encouraged to file a complaint with the AGO. Consumers who need immediate assistance because they are suffering from a lack of heat should call their propane company and the AGO’s consumer hotline at (617) 727-8400.
