News Stories
Sponsored by Earth Etch. Regulatory insight and compliance solutions for today’s energy markets.
Our Energy Seeks Hearing On TPUC Staff Report Of Alleged Violations & $128,000 Fine
Our Energy, LLC formally filed a request for a hearing on a report issued by the Texas PUC’s Division of Compliance and Enforcement which is seeking an administrative penalty of $128,700 against Our Energy, LLC for alleged violation of reporting requirements and deadlines to respond to PUC Staff inquiries.
“The purpose of this letter is to request a hearing on the merits of the occurrence of the violation and the amount of the recommended administrative penalty. The filing of this letter is timely as it is filed on April 8,2024, the deadline for Our Energy, LLC to request a hearing set forth in the procedural schedule in Order No.1.”
As reported previously, the Division of Compliance and Enforcement (DICE) of the Texas Commission issued a report seeking an administrative penalty of $128,700 against Our Energy, LLC for alleged violation of meeting reporting requirements filings and deadlines and timely responding to PUC Staff inquiries.
Specifically DICE alleged:
“Our Energy failed to file its annual reports for calendar years 2022 and 2023 and its semi-annual report for calendar year 2023. These failures remain ongoing because Our Energy has yet to file a report that meets the reporting requirements of the Commission’s rules.”
“Our Energy has not made any meaningful effort to correct the ongoing violations despite Commission Staff’s repeated efforts to gain the company’s compliance. Though Our Energy did file a document in response to communications concerning the 2023 semi-annual report, the filed materials did not satisfy the rule’s requirements, a fact Commission Staff finds concerning given the entity’s 15-year history of providing certificated retail electric service. Moreover, Our Energy made no further effort to correct that filing even after Commission Staff alerted the REP to the deficiency of the filed materials. Finally, Our Energy has made no overt effort to correct its poor business practices that have led to repeated failures to respond to Commission Staff’s formal and informal communication.”
As a result, DICE’s proposed the following penalties:
- $500 for Our Energy’s alleged initial failure to file an annual report for calendar year 2022 by March 6, 2023;
- $200 for each day that the alleged violations of 16 TAC § 25.107(i) have allegedly persisted after March 6, 2023;
- $500 for Our Energy’s alleged initial failure to file a semi-annual report for calendar year 2023 by August 15, 2023;
- $200 for each day that the alleged violations of 16 TAC § 25.107(i) allegedly have persisted after August 15, 2023;
- $500 for Our Energy’s alleged initial failure to file a semi-annual report for calendar year 2024 by March 5, 2024;
- $200 for each day that the alleged violations of 16 TAC § 25. 107(i) have allegedly persisted after March 5, 2024; and
- $2,000 for each alleged instance Our Energy failed to respond to Commission Staff’s requests for information.
Our Energy, LLC Letter to Request A Hearing on Merits (04/08/2024)
Order No. 1 – Entering Procedural Schedule (04/02/2024)
Commission Staff’s Notice Of Report Of Violation (03/13/2024)
56334 (03/12/2024)
