Centerpoint Energy, Inc. Ripping people off with disconnections and new deposits. Houston, Texas

Centerpoint Energy is the one and only providers for natural gas in the Houston area.
They along with the other utilities providers, Reliant Energy (Electricity) and The Municeple Utilities Districts (MUD), have a new ripoff policy that provides very little warnings for disruption of services, so they can charge additional reconnection fees and outrageous deposits.  Example: For a $33.50 gas bill my gas was shut off.  To have service restored we had to pay past due of $33.50, along with a reconnect fee of $60.00, plus a $150.00 deposit.  Then we had to wait at home with no idea when they would come back to restore service.  An adult has to be home with no window of time that they would come back.  My service was restored at 2:30 the next day.  Considering we have lived at this same service address for 20 years, do they really think I'm going to skip town for $33.50?  And the amount of the deposit is a little high for the amount of a possible past due bill.  All of the above utilities companies will still cut your service off even with a deposit on file for a lesser amount than the deposit.  Then they will charge you another deposit.  This is their way of making extra revenue.  I find it completly unacceptble!  I am angry that the can get away with unfair practices and the consumer has no recource.  They have a monopoly on the utilities.