Filing says that the utility monopoly purposely hid the overcharges, disconnected customers.
CARSON CITY — NV Energy overcharged more than 80,000 customers over $17 million, with only 20,000 receiving partial six-month refunds, according to a bombshell filing from the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada (PUCN). This egregious negligence raises major concerns about the leadership and integrity of the state’s monopoly electric utility. NV Energy has not explained how these mass overcharges happened, if Nevadans were notified of these overcharges, or why customers were not promptly refunded.
PUCN Docket No. 25-05010 calls for a formal investigation into NV Energy’s billing practices. It follows a previous case where a customer was overcharged for six years, but received only a partial refund, an incident that now appears to have been just the tip of the iceberg. This broader pattern highlights the urgent need for stronger consumer protections.
The Petition notes that “despite overcharging more than 80,000 customers for up to 23 years, NV Energy only provided refunds to a portion of affected customers.” NV Energy also disconnected customers whom they overcharged, and “given the number of customers whose accounts were overcharged for nonpayment, it is reasonable to infer that overbilling contributed, if not caused, nonpayment and related service disconnections,” according to the filing.
The filing noted that NV Energy did not disclose its misconduct to the Commission when it discovered the overcharges.
Knowing this, NV Energy, a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Energy, lobbied in bad faith against bipartisan efforts in the 83rd Legislative Session — like Solar-Powered Affordable (Assembly Bill 458) and Housing and Fuel Cost Sharing (Assembly Bill 452) — to lower energy costs, save Nevadans money, and issue full refunds for overpayments.
Assembly Bill 458 (Solar-Powered Affordable Housing) is a bipartisan bill awaiting a vote in the Senate Growth and Infrastructure Committee. It would make rooftop solar accessible to residents of affordable housing by removing outdated barriers and allowing installations on multifamily buildings. Renters and low-income families often face the highest utility burdens but have been left out of clean energy savings. AB458 offers a simple fix to help lower energy bills for those who need it most. Despite overwhelming support, NV Energy opposed the bill (opposition testimony can be heard in the Assembly at 12:48:58 and in the Senate at 4:23:24).
Assembly Bill 452, a bipartisan measure designed to increase utility accountability and protect ratepayers, is also awaiting a vote in the Senate Growth and Infrastructure Committee. The bill, which was strongly opposed by NV Energy (testimony by NV Energy spokespeople can be heard in the Assembly at 12:26:05 and in the Senate at 4:25), includes several key reforms:
Requires full refunds with interest when customers are overcharged, closing loopholes that have allowed partial reimbursements.
Directs the PUCN to evaluate a fuel cost-sharing structure so ratepayers are not left covering the full cost of fuel price spikes caused by global events or weather disasters.
Gives regulators more time to review utility rate cases, improving transparency and oversight.
Supported by the Nevada Bureau of Consumer Protection. Their letter can be viewed here, and testimony in support can be found at minute 12:06:23.
Quotes supporting AB458 from the Monday, May 5, Senate Growth and Infrastructure hearing can be found from minute 3:56:50 to minute 4:22:30, and support for AB452 from Monday, May 12, can be found from minute 3:56:55 to minute 4:24:33.
Nevada Conservation League:
“Nevadans are once again paying the price for NV Energy’s latest fiasco,” said Kristee Watson, Executive Director of the Nevada Conservation League. “They are a monopoly utility that families and small businesses must rely on. That means NV Energy has a responsibility to get it right. Instead, they stole more than 17 million dollars from over 80,000 customers and didn’t say a word until regulators stepped in, disconnecting power to impacted customers in some instances. The corporate shareholders of Berkshire Hathaway must pay back every dollar owed, with interest, as soon as possible.
And even more concerning, NV Energy is lobbying against Assembly Bill 452 — a bill that would require them to fully refund customers when they make these kinds of mistakes and ensure stronger oversight on the costs passed on to customers — in bad faith. If this doesn’t show why accountability and action are urgently needed, I don’t know what does.”
Faith in Action Nevada:
“Tens of thousands of hard-working people have been ripped off under the watch of NV Energy CEO Doug Cannon. This didn’t happen by accident,” said Shaunda Johnson, Executive Director of Faith in Action Nevada. “We expect this company to get their billing right. It’s either neglectful or malicious, and either way, if they can’t even manage that, how can we trust anything they do? It’s shameful that already hurting families are being targeted. They deserve better.”
Caring, Helping and Restoring Lives (CHR, Inc.):
“While NV Energy’s profits continue to rise, working families and small businesses across the state are being squeezed by high utility bills, and in some cases overcharged with little recourse,” said Dr. Mary House, CEO of CHR, Inc. “This isn’t just a billing mistake. It’s a clear failure of responsibility and a symptom of a deeper problem: a monopoly utility that’s out of touch with the people it’s supposed to serve. When tens of thousands of Nevadans are overcharged, it’s proof that stronger oversight and real consumer protection are urgently needed.”
Faith Organizing Alliance:
“This issue is far worse than we thought. This isn’t just a billing error — this is turning into a scandal. NV Energy didn’t just overcharge a handful of people. They overcharged 80,000 hard-working Nevadans and tried to sweep it under the rug, hoping no one would notice. This is unethical, unacceptable, and inexcusable,” said Pastor Marlon Anderson, Clean Energy Community Organizer of Faith Organizing Alliance. “This is a violation of public trust. Our families are already in survival mode, living check to check, choosing between food, medicine, and the electric bill. The least this monopoly utility can do is be honest and fully refund what they took. The Nevada Legislature is standing at a moral crossroads. Will they side with the people or continue letting unchecked corporate power run wild? It’s time for bold leadership, real accountability, and laws that protect Nevadans.”
Solar United Neighbors:
“This is exactly why more oversight of monopoly utilities is crucial,” said Julia Hubbard, Nevada Program Director of Solar United Neighbors. “NV Energy has quietly been overcharging more than 80,000 customers, all while raising rates and stymying rooftop solar and energy efficiency. This mismanagement is unacceptable and should be redressed immediately and avoided in the future. It is overwhelmingly clear that we need stronger oversight and transparency through legislation to prevent something like this from ever happening again. Legislators need to act now to ensure consumers are protected. Instead of helping Nevadans lower their bills, NV Energy is standing in the way and taking people’s money to boot.
Chispa Nevada:
“Low-income Nevadans have already been struggling, in some cases sacrificing medicine and groceries, to pay high electricity bills. Now we find out over two decades, NV Energy wrongfully took more than $17 million from at least 80,000 customers, some who had their electricity shut off because they couldn’t keep up with their bills,” said Audrey Peral, Program Director of Chispa Nevada. “It is outrageous that NV Energy would harm so many customers like this and not report it or fully repay them. We call on the PUCN to ensure NV Energy faces immediate consequences, starting with paying back every stolen cent — with interest, as they prefer — and to deny NV Energy’s latest rate increase request. Nevada lawmakers must pass Assembly Bill 452 quickly to protect utility customers from these kinds of abuses. Hard-working families can’t keep paying the price for NV Energy’s wrongdoing.”
Moms Clean Air Force Nevada:
“NV Energy must be held to the highest standards with strong oversight,” said Mary Wagner, Nevada Field Organizer of Moms Clean Air Force. “Families facing high utility bills are being forced to make tough decisions like turning on their A/C or buying groceries. That’s not just unfair — it’s dangerous. Nevada lawmakers must put families first.”
“We’re glad to see the PUCN move forward with this investigation, and we’re calling on the Legislature, the Bureau of Consumer Protection, and the Governor to rein in NV Energy’s overreach. Nevadans deserve protection from a monopoly utility that continues to put profits over people.”
New Day Nevada:
“NV Energy’s soaring profits stand in stark contrast to the financial pain felt by working families and small businesses across Nevada, who are being burdened — and in many cases blatantly overcharged — with little to no accountability,” said Kaylyn Kardavani, Executive Director of New Day Nevada. “This isn’t a one-off error. It’s a clear pattern of systemic negligence rooted in a monopoly that has lost touch with the very people it’s meant to serve. When tens of thousands of Nevadans are being exploited, it’s not just unacceptable — it’s a wake-up call. We need real consumer protections now.”