PEORIA, AZ — After two years, Barbara and Charles finally have a working solar inverter.
The couple updated the Let ABC15 Know Team, saying, “The new inverter is in place as well as the replacement for the broken panel."
"We have notified Sun Strong that we will accept their offer of $857. Again, thank you for helping us get something done!”
Problem Solved!
The couple was still making their monthly lease payments, even though their solar wasn’t producing, in addition to paying a higher electric bill.
Our team kept pressing the company, checking for updates on the status of the repairs.
In August 2024, the Let ABC15 Know team shared the couple’s story and their SunPower solar problems. “We were just looking to get the issue resolved,” said Barbara.
The couple said, a broker inverter, a broken solar panel, and no guaranteed production payments are the problems the Murrells have faced.
“They assured that something was in the works, and that it takes time to get these parts,” said Barbara. “The system actually went 'cold' to use their words.”
Things initially went ‘cold’ when the Let ABC15 Know team reached out to SunPower for answers. We got a response, but shortly after the company filed for bankruptcy, the team heard nothing.
SunStrong Management has now acquired SunPower. The company’s CEO, Brendon Merkley, said SunPower had neglected several customer issues leading up to the bankruptcy.
Later, the Vice President of Customer Operations, Ashley Ward, declined to speak with Let ABC15 Know on camera, but agreed to a phone conversation that could not be used for on-air use.
Ward said after the bankruptcy proceeding, SunStrong Management was surprised to find a much larger backlog than anticipated, several thousand cases.
Ward was clear in establishing that SunStrong Management is responsible for most of the solar leases from SunPower. In the phone conversation, Ward said SunPower didn’t do the best job of handling customer service issues.
“We have worked through a majority of the backlog. Customer inquiries are being handled much quicker, typically within a few days,” said Ward.
Ward stated that the high volume of customer issues, equipment shipping delays, and scheduling conflicts with 3rd party service contractors also play a role in delays.
“What do you say to customers who have been trying to contact you but still not getting any answers?” ABC15 asked.
Ward replied, “We definitely apologize for all the delays and also for SunPower’s neglect we appreciate their patience as they walk through the process we are definitely committed to making sure we have a strong relationship.”
We know solar matters to you; we’ll keep fighting for answers.
