PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — When Linda Loxley opened her electric bill in May, she was surprised to find that she had received more than $800 in solar credits that didn’t belong to her.

Loxley said PowerMarket , a community solar program, came to her door in August 2022.

“I inquired on it and somehow, they took me as a customer, and I realized I didn’t want to be part of it once I realized that I was in the network,” Loxley recalled. “So I called in and got myself out of being a customer.”

She was confused when she received a bill from Rhode Island Energy earlier this year.

“I received my bill in late May of 2024 — almost two years later — and it said that I had gotten a credit for $824 on my bill,” she recalled. “I called Rhode Island Energy and asked if they had a lottery for electricity, because I had no idea where this $800 credit came into play.”

Loxley then took the painstaking journey of trying to figure out how to stop receiving the credits, since she was concerned she would have to end up having to pay them back.

She contacted Rhode Island Energy and PowerMarket. At one point, she was directed to call the R.I. Department of Business Regulation, and then she reached out to the R.I. Division of Public Utilities and Carriers.

“They constantly go back and forth saying it’s the other person’s problem,” she said.

After being fed up with the entire process, Loxley reached out to 12 Responds for help.

“You’re the only ones that really answer our concerns,” she added.

12 Responds contacted PowerMarket, who said Loxley’s account was mistakenly included on the list of solar customers before they went online last June.

They blamed an internal issue at Rhode Island Energy that delayed the delivery of solar credits to their customers.

Rhode Island Energy said it received a list from the solar company with Loxley’s name on it in March.

“I feel like a human ping pong ball,” Loxley said. “And nobody wants to take accountability to just take the credit off my account and leave me alone.”

Both Rhode Island Energy and PowerMarket confirmed to 12 Responds that Loxley is no longer on the list to get solar credits and she will not have to pay back any of the credits that were given to her.

Thanks for signing up!

Watch for us in your inbox.

Subscribe Now

Daily Roundup

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WPRI.com.