Customer questions status of $31K solar project as Truro company restructures
CBC
A Truro, N.S., solar company that promised customers to kiss their power bills goodbye is restructuring, leaving some customers to question if their projects will see the light of day.
John Laska, who has lived in Valley, N.S., for almost two decades with his wife, Robin, signed a contract with Sun Kissed Energy last year.
"I've always wanted to be able to supplement our energy usage," said Laska.
"I ended up choosing Sun Kissed because they had a really good presence around. You could see the Sun Kissed vehicles driving everywhere," he said, adding online reviews were mostly positive.
In July, Laska paid the approximately $31,000 price in full, rather than through financing. He said design work was complete and the company told him the project was awaiting approval from Nova Scotia Power.
"Realistically, I knew, if we could get this done before winter rolls around, that would be great, but it wouldn't surprise me if they had to push it into the spring," Laska said.
An early January email assured Laska delays were due to the holidays and weather, but near the end of the month social media posts raised questions about the company's status.
Laska said he requested a refund, which he doesn't know if he will get. But he would still like to go forward with the project.
"We have good exposure," he said. "The proposal that was prepared by the company said that we would generate roughly about 120 per cent of the energy that we would use."
Sun Kissed Energy CEO Mark Shelley told Laska on Thursday that the company is restructuring.
Shelley said sales decreased following changes to a federal program that helped people pay for energy efficiency upgrades. He said that resulted in staff layoffs, company vehicles being sent to auction and being locked out of their New Glasgow office.
"Sun Kissed is not closed and I am doing everything I can to get all the installs done. I am reaching out to all the customers," Shelley told CBC News, adding he would know more in the coming weeks.
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