How far back Vermont utilities refund overcharges
Green Mountain Power's terms and conditions set no refund look-back for overbilling; refunds follow PUC practice and orders. GMP must credit $35 for any bill found inaccurate after it was sent, and $35 for any bill not rendered within seven days. Here is the rule behind it, what starts or limits the clock, and what it means for a business with a billing error in Vermont.
Vermont at a glance
| Vermont | |
|---|---|
| Rule | Green Mountain Power Terms and Conditions for Electric Service, Tariff V.P.U.C. 10 (effective June 21, 2025); Vermont PUC Rules 3.300 and 3.400 and each utility's PUC-approved tariff, e.g. Green Mountain Power's Tariff V.P.U.C. 10 |
| How far back refunds go | Green Mountain Power's terms and conditions set no refund look-back for overbilling; refunds follow PUC practice and orders. GMP must credit $35 for any bill found inaccurate after it was sent, and $35 for any bill not rendered within seven days |
| What starts or limits the clock | No look-back period in the GMP tariff; meters with more than 4% error may not stay in service, and a meter-test deposit is refunded if the meter is more than 4% fast |
| Interest | Set in the tariff or by PUC order |
| Regulator | Vermont utility commission |
What it means for a refund claim in Vermont
- GMP's service guarantees are capped at $13,500 per incident when a systemic error affects more than 1,000 customers.
- Green Mountain Power serves most of Vermont; Burlington Electric, Vermont Electric Cooperative and Vermont Gas each carry their own tariffs.
- Read the utility's tariff rules on billing and meter error too: tariffs often repeat or extend the commission rule.
- Municipal utilities and cooperatives usually set their own billing rules.
Discovery Energy reviews 36 to 48 months of history on every account and pursues the longest period each jurisdiction allows. See how overcharge recovery works, or compare Vermont with every other state.
Sources
- Green Mountain Power Terms and Conditions for Electric Service, Tariff V.P.U.C. 10 (effective June 21, 2025); Vermont PUC Rules 3.300 and 3.400 and each utility's PUC-approved tariff, e.g. Green Mountain Power's Tariff V.P.U.C. 10
- Pennsylvania PUC national list of utility commissions