Michigan Attorney General Warns Against Propane Price Gouging

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Newly appointed Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel issued a warning about price gouging during the Polar Vortex.

About 320,000 homes in Michigan rely on propane heating.

Prices are not regulated, but the Michigan Consumer Protection Act prohibits retailers from charging a price that is "grossly in excess of the price at which similar property or services are sold." Antitrust laws prohibit fuel providers from conspiring to arbitrarily fix prices.

Nessel says people should report suspected price gouging. The attorney general's office received hundreds of complaints during the polar vortex of 2013-14 and obtained about $600,000 worth of reimbursements or credits from two companies.

Propane currently sells for about $2.03 per gallon.

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