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Commitments and Contingencies | 9 Months Ended
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Sep. 30, 2022
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] |
Commitments and Contingencies | 12. Commitments and Contingencies From time to time, we may be involved in legal, tax, regulatory and other proceedings in the ordinary course of business. Liabilities for loss contingencies arising from claims, assessments, litigation or other sources are recorded when it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount can be reasonably estimated. Legal Proceedings Below is a summary of our currently pending material legal proceedings. We are subject to lawsuits and claims arising in the ordinary course of our business. The following legal proceedings are in various stages and are subject to substantial uncertainties concerning the outcome of material factual and legal issues. Accordingly, unless otherwise specifically noted, we cannot currently predict the manner and timing of the resolutions of these legal proceedings or estimate a range of possible losses or a minimum loss that could result from an adverse verdict in a potential lawsuit. While the lawsuits and claims are asserted for amounts that may be material should an unfavorable outcome occur, management does not currently expect that any currently pending matters will have a material adverse effect on our financial position or results of operations. Consumer Lawsuits Similar to other energy service companies (“ESCOs”) operating in the industry, from time-to-time, the Company is subject to class action lawsuits in various jurisdictions where the Company sells natural gas and electricity. Variable Rate Cases In the cases referred to as Variable Rate Cases, such actions involve consumers alleging they paid higher rates than they would have if they stayed with their default utility. The underlying claims of each case are similar; however, because numerous cases have been brought in several different jurisdictions, the varying applicable case law, the varying facts and stages of each case, the Company agreed to mediate to avoid duplicative defense costs in numerous jurisdictions. The Company continues to deny the allegations asserted by Plaintiffs and intends to vigorously defend these matters. In January 2022, the Company participated in mediation which covered three Spark brand matters: (1) Janet Rolland et al. v. Spark Energy, LLC (D.N.J Apr. 2017); (2) Burger v. Spark Energy Gas, LLC (N.D. Ill. Dec. 2019); and (3) Local 901 v. Spark Energy, LLC (Sup. Ct. Allen County, Indiana Aug. 2019). The Company has settled these matters and has received preliminary approval of the class action settlement from the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey. The class claim period closes November 12, 2022, and the final approval hearing for the settlement is scheduled for December 1, 2022. On January 14, 2021, Glikin, et al. v. Major Energy Electric Services, LLC, a purported variable rate class action was filed in the United States District Court, Southern District of New York, attempting to represent a class of all Major Energy customers (including customers of companies Major Energy acts as a successor to) in the United States charged a variable rate for electricity or gas by Major Energy during the applicable statute of limitations period up to and including the date of judgment. The Company believes there is no merit to this case and is vigorously defending this matter; however, given the current early stage of this matter, we cannot predict the outcome of this case at this time. Corporate Matter Lawsuits The Company may from time to time be subject to legal proceedings that arise in the ordinary course of business. Although there can be no assurance in this regard, the Company does not expect any of those legal proceedings to have a material adverse effect on the Company’s results of operations, cash flows or financial condition. Regulatory Matters Many state regulators have increased scrutiny on retail energy providers, across all industry providers. We are subject to regular regulatory inquiries, license renewal reviews, and preliminary investigations in the ordinary course of our business. Below is a summary of our currently pending material state regulatory matters. The following state regulatory matters are in various stages and are subject to substantial uncertainties concerning the outcome of material factual and legal issues. Accordingly, we cannot currently predict the manner and timing of the resolution of these state regulatory matters or estimate a range of possible losses or a minimum loss that could result from an adverse action. Management does not currently expect that any currently pending state regulatory matters will have a material adverse effect on our financial position or results of operations. Connecticut. In 2019, the Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (“PURA”) initiated review of two of the Company's brands in Connecticut, Spark and Verde, focusing on marketing, billing and enrollment practices. The Company has cooperated with PURA's requests to review Spark and Verde practices in Connecticut. On August 11, 2022, PURA and the Connecticut Office of Consumer Counsel (“OCC”) issued to Verde a Notice of Violation and Assessment of Civil Penalty (“NOV”) in which it stated it had reason to believe Verde violated certain Connecticut electric supplier marketing laws. The NOV proposed to assess civil penalties, require Verde to pay restitution to certain customers, and would suspend Verde’s license. The parties worked cooperatively to settle this matter and on October 13, 2022, PURA approved a settlement agreement with the Company in which the Company agreed to pay $1.5 million to be donated to certain Connecticut consumers designated as “financial hardship customers” and agreed to voluntarily leave the Connecticut market, with the ability to return in the future upon reapplication. New York. Prior to the purchase of Major Energy by the Company, in 2015, Major Energy Services, LLC and Major Energy Electric Services were contacted by the Attorney General, Bureau of Consumer Frauds & Protection for State of New York relating to their marketing practices. Major Energy has exchanged information in response to various requests from the Attorney General and recently agreed to respond to additional questions via remote proceedings in October of 2020. In January 2022, New York State Attorney General filed a complaint against Major Energy regarding the historical acts of Major Energy (a pre-acquisition matter). Via Renewables, Inc. was also named in the action due to current ownership. The Company has responded to the complaint. Given the current early stage of this regulatory matter, we cannot predict the outcome of this case at this time. Pennsylvania. Verde Energy USA, Inc. (“Verde”) was the subject of a formal investigation by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement (“PPUC”) initiated on January 30, 2020. The investigation asserted that Verde may have violated Pennsylvania retail energy supplier regulations. The Company met with the PPUC in February 2020 to discuss the matter and to work with the PPUC cooperatively. Verde reached a settlement, which included payment of a civil penalty of $1.0 million and a $0.1 million contribution to the PPL hardship fund. The settlement was approved by the Public Utility Commission on September 15, 2022. In addition to the matters disclosed above, in the ordinary course of business, the Company may from time to time be subject to regulators initiating informal reviews or issuing subpoenas for information as means to evaluate the Company and its subsidiaries’ compliance with applicable laws, rule, regulations and practices. Although there can be no assurance in this regard, the Company does not expect any of those regulatory reviews to have a material adverse effect on the Company’s results of operations, cash flows or financial condition. Indirect Tax Audits We are undergoing various types of indirect tax audits spanning from years 2018 to 2021 for which additional liabilities may arise. At the time of filing these consolidated financial statements, these indirect tax audits are at an early stage and subject to substantial uncertainties concerning the outcome of audit findings and corresponding responses. As of September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, we had accrued $9.7 million and $14.7 million, respectively, related to litigation and regulatory matters and $0.3 million and $0.7 million, respectively, related to indirect tax audits. The outcome of each of these may result in additional expense.

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