Procedural and performance measurement improvements can further enhance performance, Department expresses intent to adopt all recommendations
Vermont Business Magazine State Auditor Doug Hoffer has released an audit of the Vermont Department of Public Service’s handling of consumer utility complaints. The audit, the second of four the Auditor’s Office will release in the coming weeks relating to how State government responds to Vermonters’ complaints, assessed whether the Department investigates complaints within expected timeframes and whether data is used to identify trends in utility complaints. In addition, the audit evaluated whether the Department uses performance measurement to improve this important service for Vermonters.
Consumers who have an issue with the actions of or a service provided by a public utility can file a complaint with the Department’s Consumer Affairs and Public Information Division (CAPI). CAPI staff help consumers resolve conflicts with their utility, educate consumers about the rights they have under utility regulations, and facilitate communication between consumers and their utility providers. Between January 1, 2022 and December 31, 2024, CAPI staff investigated nearly 3,000 consumer complaints.
“Public utilities provide essential services such as heat, water, and electricity to Vermonters,” said Auditor Hoffer. “When these services are disconnected or threatened for any reason, it can literally mean someone’s basic needs are not being met or are in jeopardy. When people turn to CAPI it can be an act of desperation, or a simple matter of getting a fair deal. So CAPI’s work is a vital public service.”
Highlights of the audit include:
- CAPI’s complaint handling program generally resulted in utility actions that addressed consumers’ issues within the expected timeframe of 30 days. In almost all the 45 complaints reviewed, utilities took action to address the consumers’ issues after being contacted by CAPI staff.
- CAPI can establish clearer expectations for how staff should handle complaints. For example, there was not an expected timeframe for when staff should contact a utility after receiving a complaint. In most of the complaints, staff did this within a day but in five of the 45 complaints we reviewed staff waited more than a week.
- The lack of comprehensive procedures also led to inconsistencies and errors with complaint data. Of the 45 complaints we reviewed, 17 (38 percent) did not have an accurate resolution and/or resolution date. This hinders CAPI’s ability to identify complaint trends and systemic issues with utilities, which impacts its efforts to advocate for policies that protect consumer interests and educate consumers about utility issues.
- Public Service reported three performance measures related to the complaint process but used a flawed methodology to calculate these measures (mostly duplicates and inquiries rather than complaints). This caused Public Service to over-report results about the complaint program’s performance.
The Department expressed its intent to adopt the audit’s seven recommendations to improve in these areas.
Hoffer added: “I want to thank the Public Service Department staff who worked with my team of auditors. Overall, CAPI does a very good job for Vermonters who need help dealing with their utilities. The recommendations we made will enhance their work and make the data they report to Vermonters more useful and accurate. I look forward to monitoring their progress in the coming year.”
The full audit can be found here.
12.30.2025. Office of the Vermont State Auditor auditor.vermont.gov
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