Consumer Advocate—Protecting Utility Customers

If you are a customer of a privately-owned utility in Tennessee, the Tennessee Legislature has created the Consumer Advocate to represent your interests when your utility wants to raise your rates or you have service problems. Examples of privately-owned utilities, also known as investor-owned utilities, are: Piedmont Natural Gas in Nashville; Atmos Energy Corporation in Williamson, Rutherford and other counties; Chattanooga Gas Company; Tennessee-American Water Company in Chattanooga; and Kingsport Electric. Privately-owned utilities also include several water and wastewater utilities such as Tennessee Wastewater and Cartwright Creek.

The Consumer Advocate does not handle cases involving utility companies run by your city or county government, or any co-ops. Most of our cases are at the Tennessee Public Utility Commission, also known as TPUC. If your utility is involved in a case at TPUC, please use this web page to learn more about your case. You may also contact us at TNConsumerAdvocate@ag.tn.gov.