According to a report from ERCOT on Friday, Griddy Energy must stop operating under ERCOT protocols due to the breach.
After the unusual icy weather left millions of Texans without power, some reported seeing sky-high electricity bills. Many of those who have reported receiving high bills are clients of Griddy, which only operates in Texas.
A Chambers County resident recently filed a class action lawsuit against Griddy, accusing the provider of price gouging customers during last week’s freeze. She is seeking $ 1 billion in aid for affected customers.
Lisa Khoury’s lawyers said in the lawsuit that her bill went up to $ 9,340 in the week of the storm, compared to her average monthly bills that range from $ 200 to $ 250. According to the lawsuit, Griddy made several payments from Khoury’s bank account and Raised $ 1,200 before blocking further charges from her bank. She still owes thousands.
Watch the full interview with Khoury in the video player above.
Launched in 2017, Griddy charges $ 10 a month to give people a way to pay wholesale electricity prices instead of a flat rate. It warned customers about price increases and urged them to change providers. The company said wholesale prices have returned to normal since February 20.
Griddy said it has 29,000 members. It is unclear how many other Texans are also paying wholesale prices from other companies.
“We may not get a full picture of the financial devastation until 30 to 90 days,” said Ed Hirs, an energy officer at the University of Houston.
SEE ALSO: Some Texans Can Be Affected With High Energy Bills
The electricity retailer recently addressed concerns about price increases on its website and clearly placed the blame on the public utility commission. The company states that it has not benefited from price increases.
SEE ALSO: Griddy customer in Houston got a $ 5,500 utility bill this week
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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