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Renewables & EfficiencyConsumer Affairs & Public Information Division
The Consumer Affairs & Public Information Division (CAPI) assists consumers in reaching informal resolution of complaints against regulated utilities, advocates for policies that protect consumer protection interests, and educates consumers about utility issues so they can more effectively advocate for themselves.
Division staff handle five to seven thousand public inquiries each year, which include questions about utility matters and complaints about utility practices either specific to the consumers account or in general. Where consumers have been unable to resolve their complaints directly with the utility, CAPI staff investigates with the utility and seeks informal resolution of the matter. In recent years, CAPI complaint resolution efforts have saved individual consumers from $120,000 to $200,000 annually.
CAPI provides public information to consumers in the form of newsletters, press releases and brochures which are posted in the Consumer pages of this website. CAPI serves as the public information office for the agency as a whole and maintains the DPS website.
The division provides expert testimony in cases before the Public Service Board that include customer service or consumer protection issues. In recent years, CAPI has been instrumental in the establishment of measurable and enforceable service quality standards for most of the state's energy, telecommunications and cable companies. CAPI is active at the regional and national levels on consumer protection issues that cross state lines, such as slamming, truth-in billing, low income energy assistance and service quality.
The division provides training to utilities and consumer advocates to reduce the incidence of consumer complaints by improving utility practices and the ability of advocates to work with utilities on consumers' behalf.
Consumer assistance provided by CAPI since 2000
| Year |
Consumer Contacts |
Dollars Saved for Consumers |
2000 |
5,247 total contacts |
$123,007 |
2001 |
5,514 total contacts |
$208,959 |
2002 |
5,318 total contacts |
$124,952 |
2003 |
6,026 total contacts |
$160,167 |
2004 |
6,410 total contacts |
$184,776 |
While many of these contacts involved requests for information, many Vermonters do face difficulties with their utilities and seek CAPI assistance in resolving their complaints. The majority of these complaints concerned utility deposits, service disconnections, service installations, billing problems, quality of service, and repairs.
More consumer resources
Contact the Consumer Affairs &
Public Information Division Staff