Third-Party gas companies give some customers shocking utility bills | News [Video]

Redding, Calif. – As energy prices continue to climb in California it’s no surprise that people are interested in saving money on their utility bill. Some companies are offering better rates than PG&E but they may be too good to be true. 

These companies are called, core transportation agents, or CTA’s. PG&E continues to bill the customer for equipment, delivery costs, and PUC fees while the CTA bills the customer for the commodity itself. One such CTA is Spark Energy. The Houston Texas based company does most of their sales door-to-door or over the phone and offers people a substantial discount on the cost of natural gas when they sign a contract for service, though they also are allowed to tack on administration fees.

Spark Energy, in particular has a consumer warning from the Better Business Bureau and has faced and settled multiple lawsuits, including one filed in the northern district of …