An electrical co-op is warning members about a scam. They say out-of-state solar installers may use deceptive tactics.
CARTERVILLE, Ill. (WSIL)-- An electrical co-op is warning members about a scam.ÌýThey say out-of-state solar installers may use deceptive tactics.
An electrical co-op is warning members about a scam. They say out-of-state solar installers may use deceptive tactics.
Egyptian Electric says some installers are falsely telling people they are directly partnered with the cooperative.
AES Solar says they had a growing list of people needing their help after entering agreements with other installation companies. AES is located in Carterville and has been helping people get solar energy for more than 20 years. Shariff Shakir Is the CEO of the Company.
“Aur Beck started the company in 1999. He was a kind of a hobbyist in solar and his hobby grew into the company that is today,� Shakir said.
He says their goal has always been to get solar energy where it needs to be.
“It's less as many people, but installing high-quality solar systems that are gonna stay the test of time,� Shakir says. “Somebody's buying something, they're intending to last for 25 years.�
Now AES and other local solar installers are dealing with out-of-state competitors who claim to be partnered with the Egyptian Electric Cooperative Association. And Egyptian Electric says these out-of-state companies are not telling the truth. Brad Austin is the engineering and operations manager for the co-op.
“Another claim they're making is that our members will have no bill or possibly even get paid for their solar all the time. And, and that is also untrue,� Austin said.
Austin says some of the companies are giving out false information to people.Ìý
“They project our rates to go up four to 6% per year. Historically our rates have actuallyÌý´Ç²Ô±ô²âÌýwent up 1.65% over the last 10 years,â€� Austin said.
Austin says they’ve had members who sign up with out-of-state companies lose money instead of saving it.Ìý
“W±ðÌýactually have a couple of members that have had their systems installed for months on their homes and they have not reached out to do the witness test,â€� Austin says. “And because these members have not had their systems turned on, they're losing out on benefits from that system.â€�
Solar companies are supposed to schedule the witness test to verify that the system will operate safely on the home and on the electric grid, but AES says sometimes the companies leave customers hanging.Ìý
“I was really glad to see Egyptian speak out about that because it is a real problem to have a consumer spend thousands of dollars on something and then end up with all the components and it not function,� Shakir said.
Both the Co-op and AES say people should get quotes from several solar installers, and compare them before entering into an agreement.Ìý
Egyptian Electric also says you can check in with them when you are looking at bids.Ìý
