Our electric bill ran $320.00 monthly. In the past 3 months our bill went up to 465.00 monthly, then today, I got a $310.00 bill from Nexamp! I am using less electricity and I have a 1bedroom house. This makes absolutely no sense!!!! 😕 😐 😑
Response from NexampOct 31, 2023
Hi Michael,
Thank you for reaching out about your Nexamp account, and we are sorry to hear about your concerns.
The design of our community solar program is to allow for customers to save money rather than spend more, so we are certainly willing to work with you to make sure your needs are met. To start, you should see the solar credits that Nexamp is providing you with on your Central Maine Power bills under the section “Your Generation Details”. Within this section, there should be a value labeled as “Allocated Generation”. This value represents the amount of solar energy your share of our solar farm has produced for the month, and therefore the number of credits you can use to lower your electricity costs with CMP. Nexamp uses your utility rates to value these credits and makes sure that you receive a 15% discount on such each month.
The Nexamp invoice that you are referring to shows that we were able to apply ~$355 to your CMP account which would go towards reducing your costs. If you are having difficulty finding the solar credits on our utility bills, please let us know and send in a copy of your recent utility bill so we can assist further. However, if your concerns are mainly around why your utility bills are so high, then we would recommend reaching out to CMP directly.
With this said, we want to make sure you can maximize your savings through our program so we will have a representative reach out to learn more. We are committed to providing you with a positive experience that allows you to simply enjoy savings throughout the year. We thank you for your time and look forward to helping you with a resolution.
NA
Nancy
Horrible Experience!
Horrible experience, All I can say is read the contract thoroughly. My monthly National Grid bill was $260 and Nexamp came in at $500, when you cancel it takes 90 days to get off of their billing.
Response from NexampOct 3, 2023
Hi Nancy,
Thank you for providing your candid feedback regarding your Nexamp account.
When you first signed up with our program, we analyzed your usage and electricity costs to estimate a share size on our solar farm that should cover close to 90% of your electricity costs for the year. In order to cover these costs, it is typical for our customers to produce more credits than what they need in the summer months when days are long and sunny, to still substantially reduce their utility costs in the winter when solar energy production is less. This means that you typically would receive higher Nexamp invoices in the summer months compared to the fall and winter months.
On a monthly basis you’ll be able to see the discounts that Nexamp is applying to your National Grid bills under the Other Charges/Adjustments section of your bill called “Transfer Credit/Charges”. The excess credits that are generated in the summer months will remain on your National Grid account and will be used during those months where your usage is greater than the energy credits generated by the solar farm. Due to the fluctuation in our solar production throughout the year, we recommend that you view your savings on an annual basis, rather than monthly.
As for your cancelation with Nexamp, we process that request immediately. However, when you cancel with a community solar provider like Nexamp, National Grid has up to 90 days to remove you from their systems. During that 90-day window you can still receive solar energy credits that reduce your utility bills. This is why the original contract you signed with us, and the cancelation email we provided you in August mentioned that the process can take up to 90 days. We will continue to pass along credits and savings to you until this is finalized.
It is also important to note that Nexamp bills our services in arrears, so there is always a delay between when you see credits on your utility account and when we bill you. This explains why you received and paid Nexamp invoices after your cancelation request date.
Since we understand receiving higher Nexamp invoices in the summer can be challenging, we are certainly willing to work with you to align on a payment plan that works for both parties if desired. We do not charge late fees or interest, and do not impact credit scores.
We hope the information provided can help resolve your previous concerns and we are sorry to lose you as a Nexamp subscriber. If you have additional questions regarding your Nexamp account, you can reach our support team at 855-727-4636 or [email protected]. We are available Monday-Friday from 8:30 AM – 6:00 PM EST.
MS
margarite S.
No Communication Prior to Operation
I was interested in Nexamp when it was first presented and filled out the post card. THREE years later, still no Nexamp. We purchased a solar system for our property last year and in the past 3 years a lot of life happened and Nexamp was not part of my thought process. One would think if a company has kept one waiting for THREE years for a process there would be communication besides email. Come June of this year, I am confronted with a past due bill of almost $1,000. Seems like Nexamp has finally started producing for our area and sent an email - which must have gone to spam because I never saw an email. After 3 years a lot happens. After 3 years, verbal communication would have gone a LOOOOONG way. I called them immediately. Well, it takes almost as long to cancel Nexamp as it was to start. They will continue to generate and allocate credits to you, charging you for THREE MORE MONTHS! It is now September and I am $2,000 in the hole with them. Now I have WAY more credits than I will use. I have essentially taken $2,000 and thrown it to the wind. In one year unused credits for solar will drift into someone else's (Nexamp's?) pockets for them to use. To say I am angry is mild. ONE PHONE CALL to say, we are finally able to provide for your area, are you still interested in working with us? I would have said "No thank you, I am making my own power." I am wondering how many others signed up for this program that many years ago and life has happened. (Has anyone moved out of the area in the last year?) Someone is getting credits and will have no idea until a collection notice catches up to them. Nexamp needs to rethink their policies and customer service.
Response from NexampOct 2, 2023
Hello Margarite,
Thank you for providing your thoughts about your Nexamp account. We are sorry to hear that you haven’t been pleased with your experience, and hope the details shared here can assist with your situation.
When you first signed up with Nexamp, we did so prior to our solar farm going live in order to confirm that you would have a reserved spot. As you may be familiar, community solar projects throughout the state of Maine experienced long delays in the past two years which unfortunately affected how quickly customers like yourself could benefit from our program.
It is important to note that enrolling with Nexamp was free, and our team worked hard to ensure our customers would stay informed on our progress as soon as we were able to share it. Our records show that you received six email updates regarding the status of your project since you joined. Additionally, you should have received two notices via physical mail in February and June of this year which were sent so you could stay informed about our crediting and invoicing processes. While we have received feedback that our updates via email and physical mail have been useful, we appreciate your thoughts and will continue to improve our customer experience.
As for your situation, the design of our program is to help reduce utility costs for people who cannot use solar panels themselves. At the time of when you enrolled with Nexamp, we were expecting to cover a significant portion of your remaining electricity costs throughout the year. However, since it sounds like you now can offset most of your usage costs with your own panels, the savings are not as easily recognized, and we understand why you would no longer wish to be enrolled.
We will personally reach out to you so that we can learn more about your concerns and ensure that we find a solution that works for both parties. We are committed to providing the best service possible for all our customers and apologize if we didn’t meet your expectations.
TM
Ted M.
Billing issues
Since signing up with Nexamp, my electric bills have more than doubled. I believe the billing methodology utilized in Maine was made deliberately confusing. I can’t assign costs to any of the metrics Nexamp utilizes and basically is a trust us, we’re saving you money. During my last call with you folks, I was told that the primary reason for the lack of solar offset credits is based on the record of past power consumption I provided. I explained that I was never asked to provide those records and assumed you had access to that information. The usage information you provided reflect a substantial differential between my usage and what you provided in solar credits. I was told to expect 3 to 4 months to resolve the issue, after I submit my usage. I emailed my usage, even though we were all looking at the same report that was on my electric bill?? The whole process doesn’t make sense.
Response from NexampSep 20, 2023
Hi Ted,
Thank you for providing your candid feedback.
The design of our program is to reduce your annual electricity costs rather than increase them. The way we do so is through the solar energy credits that your share of our solar farm generates on a monthly basis.
As a reminder, these credits will be listed on page 2 of your utility bill under the “Your Generation Details” section of your utility bill as a kWh value called “Allocated Generation”. These kWh reductions are used to decrease the cost of electricity that you need to pay CMP.
While we have numerous resources that you can view to understand your credits and savings, we strongly recommend that you watch our educational video for CMP customers by copying and pasting this link: https://myvideo.sundaysky.com/?programId=9ac6656a-4fe3-44c3-8c21-af386b233bb5&Live=Farm%20has%20been%20live
Regarding the time it takes to adjust customers’ subscription sizes, the process is not immediate because our team is only able to submit changes to the utility monthly. Once the changes are submitted, we then must rely on CMP to also update their records, which takes 1-2 billing cycles. We apologize for the inconvenience but are certainly willing to work with you to make sure you are maximizing your savings through our program.
We will have a member of our team review your electricity usage information so that we can determine if any adjustments need to be made to your subscription size. We will personally reach back out to ensure you are comfortable with the best path forward for your account.
We hope the information provided here and in our personal outreach is enough to resolve your needs. Thank you for being a Nexamp subscriber.
JB
J B.
Costs more than the standard offer and billing is a nightmare
The billing is a complete nightmare and almost impossible to understand. I am a reasonably intelligent adult and generally good at math, but I cannot decipher this bill. The bill dates do not correlate with CMP billing cycle, so I can't even figure out my actual monthly electricity cost. I do not understand how a company that was supposed to be less expensive can charge double what I was paying before and still say they are saving me money. The only good thing I can say is that their customer support was easy to contact, and the representative was easy to understand and pleasant. But after the conversation I still don't understand my bill. I cancelled, but it may take up to 90 days to take effect, which seems unreasonable.
Response from NexampSep 13, 2023
Hello,
We appreciate you providing your candid feedback and are sorry to hear your experience didn’t meet your expectations.
Our team works hard to explain the program so that all customers can feel informed about where to find our credits and how they are saving money with our program throughout the year. While you should have received materials explaining our program via email and mail, you are also welcome to view our education video about your credits as a CMP customer. This can be viewed by going to this link: https://myvideo.sundaysky.com/?programId=9ac6656a-4fe3-44c3-8c21-af386b233bb5&Live=Farm%20has%20been%20live
In general, we are providing solar energy credits that offset your electricity costs with your utility, Central Maine Power (CMP). The design of the program in Maine is that you receive (and pay for) credits based on what your share of our solar farm has generated each month. In the summer months this means that you would likely receive credits in excess of your usage. In the winter months, where solar energy production is less, your credits would be less than your monthly usage. If you have excess solar credits from the summer months, they go into a credit bank which is then utilized in those months where your usage is greater than the energy credits generated by the solar farm.
No matter how much solar energy is produced, you will always receive a 15% discount on those credits each month. Due to the fluctuation in our solar production throughout the year, we recommend that you view your savings on an annual basis, rather than monthly.
Regarding your Nexamp invoice, it is important to note that Nexamp bills our services in arrears, so there is always a delay between when you see credits on your utility account and when we bill you.
Lastly, as for your cancelation request, when you cancel with Nexamp, we process that cancelation immediately. However, we also have to rely on CMP to update their records and remove you from our solar farm. This typically takes 90 days to complete the process. During that 90-day window you can still receive solar energy credits that reduce your utility bill. This is why the original contract you signed with us, and the cancelation email we provided you with in September mentioned that the process can take up to 90 days.
We hope that the details above help address the concerns you raised in your complaint, and we thank you for your time as a Nexamp Community Solar subscriber.
FT
Frank T.
The Company doesn't deliver on its…
The Company doesn't deliver on its promises and seems like a total rip off. They were supposed to reduce my energy bill, but instead they have increased - ALMOST doubled.
I cancelled the service over 2 months ago, but just received a 3rd bill since as they blame their inability to cancel the service on our electricity provider.
STAY AWAY!
Response from NexampSep 8, 2023
Hi Frank,
Thank you for your feedback. Let us first start by apologizing for the poor experience you have had with our organization. We understand that you have canceled your account with us, but we want to address the specifics of your complaint in the hopes that these answers provide you with the details you need to fully resolve your questions and concerns.
When you first signed up with our program, we analyzed your usage and electricity costs to estimate a share size on our solar farm that should cover close to 90% of your electricity costs for the year. In order to cover these costs, it is typical for our customers to produce more credits than what they need in the summer months when days are long and sunny, to still substantially reduce their utility costs in the winter when solar energy production is less.
As a reminder, you can find these reductions on your Potomac Edison bill listed as a “Community Solar ID Credit” on the first page under the Usage Information section. You will always receive a 10% discount on these credits so a $100 reduction on your utility costs only costs you $90 in return.
Because we bill based on the generation of our farm and not your usage, your Nexamp invoices might be higher in the summer when our farm is at peak production. Any excess credits that are generated in the summer months will remain on your utility account and will be used during those months when your usage is greater than the credits generated by the solar farm. Due to the fluctuation in our solar production throughout the year, we recommend that you view your savings on an annual basis, rather than monthly.
To this point, we recognize that paying for summer credits can be challenging at times. Please know that we are always willing to work with our customers to align on payment plans that work for both parties. We do not charge late fees or interest, and do not impact credit scores.
Lastly, when you cancel with Nexamp, we process that cancelation immediately. However, when you cancel with a community solar provider like Nexamp, it can take up to 90 days for your utility to remove you from their systems. During that 90-day window you can still receive solar energy credits that reduce your Potomac Edison bill. This is why the original contract you signed with us, and the cancelation email we provided you in May mentioned that the process can take up to 90 days.
We hope that this explanation was helpful in resolving your previous concerns. However, if you still have questions, you can reach our support team at 855-727-4636 or [email protected]. We are available Monday-Friday from 8:30 AM – 6:00 PM EST.
Thank you for your time as a Nexamp community solar subscriber.
JE
James E.
No results
Signed up in August of 2022 with an estimated date of December 2022 to start getting solar credits. Just got an email that says the farm is now delayed until spring of 2024. They were of no help when I reached out.
Response from NexampAug 31, 2023
Dear James,
Thank your feedback. We certainly appreciate your patience so far as we work towards getting your solar project up and running as soon as possible. Unfortunately, there have been delays in our timeline that we had not previously expected and apologize for such.
Given that our projects are in high demand, the active solar farms in your area are already at capacity. If you would like, we could place you on a waitlist for one of those farms, with the expectation that space becomes available before the timeline for your currently assigned solar farm. While we cannot guarantee a date that you would be able to join, we would be happy to assist if that is of interest to you. Please reach out to our support team and we are here to make any adjustments as needed.
We appreciate your time and thank you for being a Nexamp community solar subscriber.
CI
Cindy
Something's changed at Nexamp
I have been a customer of Nexamp for over 5 years. Until 2022, the bills were a fairly consistent amount, with some expected fluctuations in the summer months when more sun was available. It kept an adequate credit on my electric bill for most of the year. In late 2022 everything changed- I got a massive bill that they explained was higher because they were giving more solar to match the electric company's increases. Since then, the bills have been almost double what I was paying previously and very erratic. There is no way of knowing how much solor credit they will decide to bill me from month to month. If I want a lower electric bill, I can find ways to conserve. There is no control over what Nexamp will decide to bill me. They offered to put me on a plan with fewer solar credits, but the plan I have never states how many credits I'm signed up for or getting. How would I know if it even changes? I've asked to be canceled, and am now in the same boat as other customers- waiting 3-6 months (!!!) for the billing torture to end. No other company on the planet makes you continue to be an unwilling customer for months after canceling. Blaming this on National Grid policies is absurd- if I called National Grid right now and told them I wanted to discontinue my power, they would turn it off. I requested Nexamp's cancelation on June 8, so will be dutifully reporting them to BBB on September 8. They can take me to court for anything billed beyond that date.
Response from NexampAug 4, 2023
Hi Cindy,
Thanks for reaching out and we apologize for any difficulties you have faced with your Nexamp account. We take feedback seriously, especially from a long-time customer like yourself.
As for our solar production, you are correct that the amount may vary given the season. When you first signed up with our program, we analyzed your electricity usage costs to estimate a share size on our solar farm that should cover close to 90% of your National Grid costs for the year. To cover these costs, it is typical for our customers to produce more credits than what they need in the summer months when days are long and sunny, to substantially reduce their utility costs in the winter when solar energy production is less. The excess credits that are generated in the summer months will remain on your National Grid account and will be used during those months where your usage is greater than the energy credits generated by the solar farm. The amount you are billed by Nexamp is based on the number of solar credits produced in a month, and the value at which National Grid places on that electricity. Nexamp will bill you for these credits but at a 15% discount.
As you have likely been aware, there have been significant changes to utility rates in Massachusetts over the past 6 months. In late 2022, Massachusetts utility companies implemented rate increases, which in turn, increased the value of solar credits. This means that you received more credit than you are used to in the summer and that your Nexamp invoices would be higher. The good news is that this spring and summer, utility rates have gone down; however, because Nexamp invoices are billed in arrears, this impact will be felt in the upcoming Nexamp invoices.
While we cannot control the rates set by the utility companies, we have heard your concerns regarding high invoices, and we want to do everything we can to support our subscribers. To do so, we offer flexible payment plans and can adjust your share size to decrease the amount of new solar credits coming in.
As for the timeline to adjust customers’ accounts, we are limited to 4 submissions to the utility a year per the program’s regulations. These are submitted each quarter so that there is a consistent schedule to make changes for our thousands of customers. Whether it be to adjust subscription sizes on our farm or process cancelation requests, the process is not immediate, and it is referenced in the contract you signed with Nexamp.
We hope these insights were useful given your situation, however we will personally reach back out to you so we can learn how to best assist.
