One of five retail electricity providers accused by Pennsylvania officials of unfair billing practices and boosting prices last year agreed to pay more than $6.8 million in refunds to customers and stop offering variable rate plans for 18 months. The proposed settlement to resolve a case brought in June by the state attorney general and the Office of Consumer Advocate is not an admission of guilt by Pennsylvania Gas & Electric, the subject of hundreds of customer complaints, according to paperwork filed this week with the Public Utility Commission. Sky-high electric bills and complaints about aggressive tactics by providers prompted calls for new consumer protection rules. The sanctions should serve as a deterrent to companies unfairly treating customers who choose competitive contracts outside their regulated utilities, acting consumer advocate Tanya McCloskey said Thursday. “We think that this is a comprehensive settlement and addresses the issues we raised in our complaint,â€? she said. “We think it’s going to bring much needed relief to thousands of consumers. It will improve on the accuracy of information provided to consumers who choose to shop.â€? Harrisburg-based PaG&E, which also goes by Energy Services Providers Inc., could not be reached. The proposed agreement requires approval from administrative law judges — whose decision could be made next month — and the five-member PUC. Cases against four other providers remain in various stages of consideration by the agency. Those companies are IDT Energy, Respond Power, Hiko Energy and Blue Pilot Energy. During two blasts of cold weather in January and February 2014 that came to be known as the polar vortex, electricity prices spiked as utilities scrambled to meet huge demand for heat and several power plants shut down. Energy consumers who switched to variable rate plans, some of whom claimed to have done so unknowingly, paid the biggest price as monthly bills three or four times the normal levels arrived. PaG&E was the subject of 34 percent of the 2,434 complaints received by McCloskey’s office and 23 percent of the 7,503 fielded by the attorney general’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, according to this week’s filing. Complaints included claims that the company and contractors improperly promised customers their rates would not go above a certain level and charged twice the amount the company needed to recover costs. PaG&E refunded more than $4.5 million to customers and will put the rest into a fund. “We have to commend PaG&E as well, who worked hard on this,â€? McCloskey said. “The company was continually working with their consumers. They continued to work with our office.â€? New rules from the PUC shorten the amount of time it takes for customers to change electricity rate plans and require companies to more clearly communicate the terms of rate plans. The commission on Thursday put out for public comment a proposal to apply similar rules to companies offering competitive natural gas plans. “We have seen success with a rulemaking implemented last year to ensure electric suppliers are transparent and are consistent in educating their customers on contract details, potential price fluctuations and changes in contract terms,â€? said PUC Chairman Robert F. Powelson. “After examining the benefits of that rulemaking to electric shopping customers, we determined it is not only beneficial but necessary to apply similar standards to natural gas suppliers.â€? David Conti is a Trib Total Media staff writer. Reach him at 412-388-5802 or dconti@tribweb.com. Email Newsletters TribLIVE's Daily and Weekly email newsletters deliver the news you want and information you need, right to your inbox.