YOUR RIGHTS AS A CUSTOMER

REP Certificate No. 10074

PLEASE READ -- THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING YOUR RIGHTS AS A CUSTOMER

Usted puede obtener el mismo documento impreso detallando los Sus Dorochos Como Consumidor comunicandose con nosotros al 940-692-8760.

This document summarizes Your Rights as a Customer. It is based on consumer protection rules of the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC). These rules apply to retail electric providers (REPs), including those affiliated with the utility (Affiliated REP) and the provider of last resort (POLR), unless otherwise noted. You may view the PUC’s rules at 222.puc.state.tx.us/rules/subrules/electric. Contact information is set forth immediately hereafter.

Contact Information:

1. Alliance Power
P.O. Box 1617
Wichita Falls, Texas 76307
www.Alliance-power.com


2. Texas Public Utility Commission
Customer Protection Division
P.O. Box 13326
Austin, Texas 78711-3326
Direct (512) 936-7120
Toll-Free 1-888-782-8477
Fax (512) 936-7003


3. Customer Service
Direct: 940-692-8760
Toll-Free 24-Hour: 877-777-2017
Español: 940-692-8760
Fax: 940-723-8113


4. Outages and Emergencies

Toll-Free 24 Hours/7 days:

Oncor (TXU) Centerpoint TNMP AEP-CP&L

888-313-4747 800-332-7143 888-866-7456 866-223-8508

Obtaining and Canceling Service

Discounts for Low-Income Customers: A customer who receives food stamps, Medicaid, AFDC or SSI from the Texas Department of Human Services (TDHS) automatically qualifies for a 17% discount on electric service through the LITE-UP Texas program. Customers who do not receive these benefits, but whose household income is not more than 125% of the federal poverty guidelines may apply for a discount. Contact LITE-UP Texas toll-free at (866) 4-LITE-UP or (866) 454-8387.

Customers qualified for the LITE-UP Texas program may be eligible to pay a required deposit in two installments. Please call your REP if you believe you are eligible. The first installment shall be due no earlier than ten days after the issuance of written notification. For the second installment, a written notice regarding the remaining deposit amount will be issued during the 20 days before the due date, but no less than 10 days prior to the due date.

Critical Care Customers: A residential customer for whom an interruption or suspension of electric service will create a dangerous or life-threatening condition is a “critical care residential customer”. If you believe you qualify for this designation, contact your REP and ask for the Critical Care Eligibility form. After filling out and returning the form to your REP, the REP will forward the form to the appropriate governmental agency, which will then determine your eligibility. The evaluation and qualification process will not take longer than one month from the date such governmental agency receives the Critical Care Eligibility Determination Form. You will be notified by such governmental agency of their determination. If you qualify, the qualification is valid for one year. Qualification does not relieve you of the obligation to pay your REP for services; however, a critical care residential customer may qualify for deferral of disconnection.

Unauthorized Change of Service Provider: ALLIANCE POWER must obtain your verifiable authorization before switching your electric service. If you believe your service was switched without your authorization, request that ALLIANCE POWER provide a copy of your authorization and verification. ALLIANCE POWER must submit this to you within 5 business days of your request. You may also file a complaint with the PUC. Upon receipt of a complaint filed with the PUC, ALLIANCE POWER must attempt to return you to your original REP within 3 days and cease any collections activities related to the switch until the complaint has been resolved by the PUC. If the PUC determines your service was switched without authorization, ALLIANCE POWER must cancel all unpaid charges. Within 5 business days of your request, ALLIANCE POWER must pay all charges associated with returning you to your original REP. Within 30 days of your request, ALLIANCE POWER must refund to you any amounts paid in excess of the charges that would have been imposed by your original REP.

Cancellation of Service Without Penalty: If you are switching providers, you may cancel your contract with ALLIANCE POWER without penalty within 3 federal business days (includes Saturday) after you receive your Terms of Service. For details on how to cancel your service, see your Terms of Service. Customer’s right of cancellation does not apply when a customer is transferred to the Affiliated REP for non-payment. You may also terminate your agreement with ALLIANCE POWER without penalty if you move or ALLIANCE POWER notifies you of a material changes in the terms and conditions of service as stipulated in the Terms of Service. Notice will not be issued for changes that benefit a customer (e.g. price decreases) or changes that are mandated by a regulatory agency.

Billing Matters

Unauthorized Charges By Alliance: Before any new types of charges (or changes in products or services) are included on your electric bill, ALLIANCE POWER must inform you of such product or service, all associated charges, and the manner by which these charges will be billed before they appear on your electric bill and obtain your consent for such. If you believe your bill includes unauthorized charges, you may contact ALLIANCE POWER to dispute such charges and may file a complaint with the PUC. ALLIANCE POWER will not seek to terminate or disconnect your electric service for non-payment of an unauthorized charge or file an unfavorable credit report against you for disputed unpaid charges that are alleged to be unauthorized, unless the dispute is ultimately resolved against you. If the charges are determined to be unauthorized, ALLIANCE POWER will cease charging you for the unauthorized service or product, remove the unauthorized charge from your bill, and refund or credit all money you paid for any unauthorized charge within 45 days. If charges are not refunded or credited within three billing cycles, interest shall be paid to you at an annual rate established by the PUC on the amount of any unauthorized charge until it is refunded or credited. You may request all billing records under ALLIANCE POWER’s control related to any unauthorized charge within 15 days after the date the unauthorized charge is removed from your bill. ALLIANCE POWER will not rebill you for any charges determined to be unauthorized.

Deferred Payment Plans and Other Payment Arrangements: If you cannot pay your bill, call ALLIANCE POWER immediately. ALLIANCE POWER may offer a short-term payment arrangement that allows you to pay after your due date, but before your next bill is due. A deferred payment plan allows a customer to pay an outstanding bill in installments beyond the due date of the next bill. If you receive service from an Affiliated REP or provider of last resort (“POLR”), it must offer you a deferred payment plan unless you have received more than 2 termination/disconnection notices during the past 12 months or you have been their customer for less than 3 months and do not have sufficient credit or payment history with another REP. ALLIANCE POWER must offer deferred payment plans for bills that are due during an extreme weather emergency and to underbilled customers. A deferred payment plan may include a 5% penalty for late payment, but the POLR may not charge a late fee. If you do not fulfill the terms of the payment arrangement or deferred payment plan, ALLIANCE POWER may disconnect or terminate service and a POLR may disconnect service. For details on these programs see your Terms of Service or contact ALLIANCE POWER.

Financial and Energy Assistance: All REP’s must advise customers about payment assistance programs when customers express an inability to pay or need assistance with the bill payment. REPs must also offer level or average payment plans. A customer who receives food stamps, Medicaid, AFDC or SSI from the Texas Department of Human Services (TDHS) or whose household income is not more than 125% of the federal poverty guidelines may qualify for energy assistance. Contact FREEDOM POWER for information.

Late Charge: If ALLIANCE POWER does not receive your payment on or before the due date, a penalty of 5.0% of the unpaid balance will be added to your bill.

Meter Testing: You may request 1 meter test every 4 years at no cost to you. If you request more than 1 test every 4 years, and the meter is functioning properly, then you may be charged for the additional meter test(s) at the rate approved for your Local Distribution Company (LDC). The LDC will advise you of the test results, including the test date, testing person and, if applicable, the removal date of the meter.

Termination of Service: If your payment for electric service is not received by the due date on your bill, your contract will be terminated by ALLIANCE POWER. If you do not obtain service from another REP, you will be dropped to the provider of last resort. Your current REP will mail you a separate Termination Notice no earlier than the first day after the date your bill is due. The termination date will be 10 days from the date the notice is issued and may not fall on a holiday or weekend. If payment is received, or satisfactory payment arrangements are made, prior to the date of termination on the Termination Notice, ALLIANCE POWER will continue to serve you under the Terms and Conditions of service in effect prior to issuance of the Termination Notice.

ALLIANCE POWER cannot terminate your contract for any of the following reasons:

• failure to pay for electric service by a previous occupant of the premise if that occupant is not of the same household;
• failure to pay any charge unrelated to electric service;
• failure to pay a different type or class of electric service not included on the account’s bill when service was initiated;
• failure to pay under-billed charges that occurred for more than six months (except theft of service);
• failure to pay any disputed charges until ALLIANCE POWER or the PUC determines the accuracy of the charges and you have been notified of this determination;
• failure to pay charges arising from an under-billing due to faulty metering (unless the meter was tampered with); or
• failure to pay an estimated bill unless the estimated bill is part of a pre-approved meter-reading program or in the event the local distribution company is unable to read the meter due to circumstances beyond its control.

But, ALLIANCE POWER may not terminate your contract:

• if ALLIANCE POWER receives notification by the termination date that an energy assistance provider will be forwarding sufficient payment on your account; or
• for non-payment during an extreme weather emergency and must offer you a deferred payment plan for bills due during such emergency.

Availability of Provider of Last Resort (POLR): If your electric service is terminated, you may obtain services from another REP or the POLR. If your service is terminated for non-payment of electric service charges, and you do not obtain service from another REP, your electric service will be dropped to the provider of last resort. If ALLIANCE POWER terminates your service for any other reason, you may request service from the POLR in your service area. The POLR offers a basic, standard retail service package at a fixed, non-discountable rate. Information about the POLR and other REPs can be obtained from the PUC or the POLR.

Disconnection of Service: The PUC has provided that, under certain dangerous circumstances (such as unsafe electric line situations), any REP may authorize your Local Distribution Company (“LDC”) to disconnect your electric service without prior notice to you. Also, ALLIANCE POWER, Affiliated REP in your service area, or the POLR may seek to have your electric service disconnected for any of the reasons listed below:

• failure to pay a bill owed to ALLIANCE POWER, or to make a deferred payment arrangement by the date of disconnection;
• failure to comply with the terms of a deferred payment agreement made with ALLIANCE POWER;
• using service in a manner that interferes with the service of others or the operations of non-standard equipment;
• failure to pay a deposit required by ALLIANCE POWER; or
• failure of the guarantor to pay the amount guaranteed when ALLIANCE POWER has a written agreement, signed by the guarantor, which allows for disconnection of the guarantor’s service.

Prior to disconnecting your service, ALLIANCE POWER must provide you a Disconnection Notice. This notice must be mailed to you separately no earlier than the first day after your bill is due. The disconnection date must be 10 days from the date the notice is issued and may not fall on a holiday or weekend or the day preceding unless their personnel are available to take payments and service can be reconnected.

ALLIANCE POWER may not seek to have your electric service disconnected by your LDC for any of the reasons listed under the Termination of Service portion of this document.

Additionally, ALLIANCE POWER may not disconnect your service:

• if it receives notification by the disconnection date that an energy assistance provider will be forwarding sufficient payment on your account;
• for non-payment during an extreme weather emergency and must offer you a deferred payment plan for bills due during the emergency; or
• for non-payment if you inform ALLIANCE POWER, prior to the disconnection date stated on the notice, that you or another resident on the premises has a critical need for electric service. However, to obtain this exemption, you must enter into a deferred payment plan with the ALLIANCE POWER and have the ill-person’s attending physician contact ALLIANCE POWER and submit a written statement attesting to the necessity of electric service to support life. This exemption from disconnection due to illness or disability shall be in effect for 63 days and may be applied for again after the 63 days has expired and the deferred payment plan has been fulfilled.

Restoration of Service: If your service has been disconnected by ALLIANCE POWER for non-payment, ALLIANCE POWER will, upon satisfactory correction of the reasons for the disconnection, notify your LDC to reconnect your service. ALLIANCE POWER will continue to serve you under the Terms of Service in effect prior to issuance of the Disconnection Notice. If your service was disconnected due to a dangerous situation, your service will be reconnected once you notify ALLIANCE POWER that you have corrected and satisfactorily resolved the dangerous situation, provided ALLIANCE POWER has the right to reasonably confirm such correction and resolution.

Complaint Resolution: Contact ALLIANCE POWER if you have comments, questions or complaints. Upon receipt of a complaint, ALLIANCE POWER must investigate and notify you of the results within 21 days. If you are dissatisfied with the results of the investigation, you may request a supervisory review. ALLIANCE POWER must advise you of the results of the supervisory review within 10 business days of your request. If you are dissatisfied with the results of the investigation or supervisory review, you may file a complaint with the PUC and the Office of the Attorney General, Consumer Protection Division. For a complaint involving a disputed bill, ALLIANCE POWER may not initiate collection activities or termination activities or report the delinquency to a credit reporting agency with respect to the disputed (and where such dispute resolution process has not been completed as specified above) portion of the bill. However, after appropriate notice, ALLIANCE POWER may send a disconnect notice for non-payment of any undisputed portion of the bill.

Reporting Outages: ALLIANCE POWER is responsible for providing you with the telephone number you may use to report outages or other emergencies. For your reference, this contact information is also provided on page 2.

Other Protections

Do Not Call List: Consumers may register their name, address, and telephone number to the statewide “Do Not Call List”, which will help limit telemarketing calls to your home or business. You may register for the “Do Not Call List” in three ways: online at www.texasnocall.com, call toll-free 1-866-TXNOCAL(L) (1-866-896-6225), or write Texas No Call, P.O. Box 313, E. Walpole, WA 02032.

Language Availability: You may request to receive information from ALLIANCE POWER in Spanish, or any language in which you were solicited. This includes the Terms of Service Agreement, Your Rights as Customer, bills and bill notices, termination and disconnection notices, information on new electric services, discount programs, promotions, and access to customer assistance.

Privacy Rights: ALLIANCE POWER may not disclose or sell any confidential customer information, including: your name, address, account number, type or classification of service, historical electricity usage, expected patterns of use, types of facilities used in providing service, individual contract terms and conditions, price, current charges or billing records. This prohibition does not apply to the release of your information under certain circumstances as required by law, including release to the PUC, an agent of ALLIANCE POWER, credit reporting agencies, law enforcement agencies or LDC. Your information will be shared with other retail REPs or aggregators only with your consent.

Special Services: ALLIANCE POWER may offer special services for hearing-impaired customers and customers with disabilities. If you have a disability or require special assistance regarding your electric account, contact ALLIANCE POWER about these special services.