This was not a new experience for the company. HIKO Energy LLC agreed to pay New Jersey $2.1 million last year after the state also accused the company of not living up to promised rates.
Checks were issued by late last month to customers of a Monsey-based energy supplier after it agreed to settle a lawsuit for about $10 million accusing it of billing consumers more for electricity and natural gas than they were told it would cost. U.S. District Court Judge Vincent Briccetti in White Plains approved the settlement in May between HIKO and a class action involving thousands of consumers in the state. It could not be determined how many were in the Hudson Valley.
HIKO denied all claims in the lawsuit. Both sides agreed to settle to avoid the cost and risk of a trial, according to Finkelstein, Blankinship, Frei-Pearson & Garber, the Westchester law firm representing the customers.
Current customers could choose to get $3 for each month they were customers, or a $6 credit on future billings for each month they were customers up to $175.
The same cash options were available to former customers, or they could get a $75 credit on future billings if they re-enrolled with HIKO and remained a customer for at least six months.
The case covered energy purchases up to Dec. 31, 2014.