Progress Energy Carolinas CLP Monopoly on Electric service, holds low income family's hostage, consumer has no recourse but to pay the extortion charged Internet

I have been in North Carolina since 1998. As of yesterday I would and did tell everyone how easy it was to work with Progess Energy, previously CPL. But then I had need to contact them today and I will never again say this company is easy to work with nor is it consumer friendly. My ex husband and I had their electric services from October 1999 until November 2006 in 2 different counties and 3 different homes during those years. We had good income and bad income times while having their service. We paid ahead when times were good and was allowed to make payment arrangements when times were bad, which were few and far between.

Then I separated from my ex, moved into another county to stay with family and friends. Now, after a separation, lose of income, a foreclosure, and volunteer repossession of a vehicle, along with a custody battle, I am finally getting back on my feet or so I thought. I have rented a home for my children and myself paying the 1st month and deposit, had the water scheduled for turn on after paying that company's deposit, only to call Progress Energy and find out that because I had not had service with them in the last 12 months that my 7 years of good history no longer counted, even though they saw our payment history, because my credit is poor now. WELL DUHHHH, WHO'S CREDIT ISN'T AFTER JOB LOSE AND SEPARATION????????????

The worse part is that Progress Energy will not work with you at all. They want the full deposit (equal to 2 months), which BTW is based on the last residence's electric use over the previous 6 months. They don't care if the last resident had 10 people living in the home, if the previous resident was home day and night, etc. How are they able to set deposits based on someone else's use and lack of service on your part due to circumstances outside of your control, as well as hold the consumer hostage as there is no other company's providing electric service to protect the consumer from price gouging by monopolies like this company?

Where is the protection for the consumers? To hell with this trying to work with them, maybe when all of us go over to solar and generator power these companies will figure out customers are fed up.