Congress investigates $3B loan by Biden Admin to solar firm accused of defrauding seniors
Lawmakers Investigate $3 Billion Loan to Solar Company Accused of Scamming Elderly Patients
L: Sunnova truck (@SunnovaEnergy/Twitter), R: Jigar Shah (energy.gov)
Lawmakers are currently delving into the Biden administration’s controversial decision to grant an unprecedented $3 billion loan to a solar company. This company has been accused of preying on vulnerable elderly dementia patients, as revealed in a letter obtained by the Washington Free Beacon.
Sen. John Barrasso (Wyo.) and Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (Wash.), the leading Republicans on the Senate and House energy committees, have demanded that the Department of Energy provide records regarding the loan to Sunnova Energy by Dec. 21.
This request comes after the Free Beacon published an article detailing allegations that Sunnova representatives manipulated elderly dementia patients, some of whom were on their deathbeds, into signing long-term solar panel leases.
“We are deeply concerned about recent, credible reports that Sunnova has received numerous consumer complaints, including those accusing them of engaging in troubling sales practices. These practices involve pressuring elderly homeowners in poor health to sign contracts worth tens of thousands of dollars,” wrote Barrasso and McMorris Rodgers in their letter to Jigar Shah, the director of the Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office (LPO).
The lawmakers find these allegations particularly disturbing, considering that the LPO has stated that this program is intended to benefit disadvantaged communities. They have requested Shah to provide information about the LPO’s awareness of the consumer complaints, their plans to monitor Sunnova’s sales tactics, and the individuals involved in approving the loan to Sunnova.
The $3 billion loan, the largest federal loan ever granted to a solar company, is intended to support Sunnova’s efforts to provide solar panel loans to “disadvantaged homeowners and communities,” as stated by the company. The loan was announced in September.
The Free Beacon has reviewed over 50 consumer complaints filed against Sunnova with the Texas attorney general’s office since last year. These complaints range from delays in maintenance to allegations of predatory sales tactics.
Barrasso and McMorris Rodgers also highlighted that there have been at least 1,000 complaints filed against Sunnova in Puerto Rico, including claims of misleading consumers and failure to deliver promised energy bill reductions. They noted that 20 percent of the federal funding allocated to Sunnova will be used for solar panel loans to customers in Puerto Rico.
Terry Blythe, a resident of Texas, shared her distressing experience with the Free Beacon. She revealed that her 86-year-old father, who had been diagnosed with dementia, was convinced by a Sunnova salesman to sign a 25-year solar panel lease in 2020. When her father passed away earlier this year, Blythe found herself burdened with a $34,000 contract.
Another Texas resident, Mary Loller, recounted how her elderly father, who was senile and had been given a few months to live, was sold a $60,000 solar system for his mobile home by a Sunnova salesman last year.
“At that time, my dad informed the salesman that he was on hospice and dying. But the salesman disregarded his condition,” said Loller.
Shortly after, Loller’s father passed away. She revealed that Sunnova placed a lien on the mobile home, preventing the family from selling the property.
How does the Department of Energy plan to ensure transparency and accountability in the loan approval process for renewable energy companies?
Anted to a solar company, was part of the Biden administration’s efforts to promote clean energy and combat climate change. Sunnova Energy, based in Houston, Texas, specializes in residential solar panel installations and has been hailed as a leader in the renewable energy industry. However, the recent allegations of scamming elderly patients have cast a shadow over the company and raised serious questions about the loan approval process.
According to the letter obtained by the Washington Free Beacon, Sunnova representatives targeted elderly dementia patients, some on their deathbeds, and convinced them to sign long-term solar panel leases worth tens of thousands of dollars. These vulnerable individuals were allegedly manipulated into entering contracts that they did not fully understand, putting them at financial risk. Such predatory practices are not only ethically questionable but also go against the principles of consumer protection.
In response to these allegations, Sen. John Barrasso and Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers have demanded answers from the Department of Energy. As the leading Republicans on the Senate and House energy committees, they have called on the department to provide records regarding the loan to Sunnova Energy by a specified deadline. Their letter emphasizes the need for transparency and accountability in the loan approval process and expresses concern over the potential exploitation of the elderly and those in poor health.
The lawmakers’ concerns are not only centered around the alleged scamming of elderly patients but also extend to the overall objectives of the loan program. The Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office has explicitly stated that the loan program is intended to benefit disadvantaged communities. Therefore, the allegations against Sunnova raise questions about the effectiveness of the program in achieving its stated goals. Barrasso and McMorris Rodgers have requested information from the department regarding their awareness of the consumer complaints, their plans to monitor Sunnova’s sales tactics, and the individuals responsible for approving the loan.
This investigation into the $3 billion loan to Sunnova Energy highlights the importance of due diligence and oversight in government-funded initiatives. If the allegations against the company are substantiated, it would not only be a betrayal of the trust placed in the Biden administration’s clean energy efforts but also a gross disregard for the well-being of vulnerable individuals. The outcome of the investigation will have implications not just for the loan program but also for the future of renewable energy initiatives and the protection of consumer rights.
As the investigation unfolds, it is imperative that lawmakers prioritize the best interests of the public and hold accountable those who have exploited the most vulnerable members of society. The $3 billion loan to Sunnova Energy should serve as a wake-up call for stricter regulations and greater scrutiny in the renewable energy industry. Only with increased transparency and accountability can public trust be restored and the potential of solar energy harnessed for the benefit of all.
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