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A local resident who purchased a solar system from Pink Energy said he feels victimized after the company sent a letter to employees on Sept. 21 announcing that it was closing and all employees were terminated.
Mooresville, N.C.-based Pink Energy, previously known as PowerHome Solar, closed its operations after a long list of problems, according to published reports.
The company has faced thousands of complaints ranging from faulty equipment to allegations of deceptive sales tactics over the past year.
Daniel McIntyre of Frankstown Township said he purchased the Pink Energy solar system in May 2020 and it was installed in August of that year.
"It has never fully functioned since it was installed. At the time, you couldn't watch anything on (TV) without seeing Jayson Waller (company founder) and an ad for PowerHome Solar on TV. I felt that since it was a national company that it would be a safe one to work with," McIntyre wrote in an email.
In August, Pink Energy filed a lawsuit against Generac, a former supplier, claiming there was a defective part in the solar systems that could cause fire hazards and is a reason people's solar panels have not been producing the energy as expected.
"I'm also waiting on them to contact me as well about having that part replaced," McIntyre wrote. "Now that they have closed, I have a system that does not work, no one to repair it and I am still on the hook for around $58,000. So, now I am making a loan payment to a company for a system that doesn't work and paying an electricity bill as well," McIntyre wrote.
While the company has yet to make a statement about the closing, the letter sent to employees admitted the company had experienced "financial difficulties" and blamed Generac equipment and sales declines for the decision to close.
All employees -- about 500 -- were terminated in the mass letter.
Officials with the Better Business Bureau confirmed the company's closure and the termination of the employees.
According to a PRNewswire release on April 12,
PowerHome Solar announced the name change to Pink Energy, effective on Earth Day, April 22.
The firm was billed as a leading energy efficiency company that provides high-quality American-made solar panels as part of a complete energy-savings package for residential customers. The company launched in 2014 in Mooresville, N.C., and in April was operating in 15 states with more than 2,100 employees, including a commercial division.
In 2020, it became a distributor of equipment from Generac Power Systems.
While Pink Energy's federal lawsuit against Generac is ongoing, reports state that employees are looking to file a lawsuit of their own against Pink Energy, as the company failed to give the proper notice before closing and terminating all positions.
Customers like McIntyre are unsure what steps to take next, according to reports.
McIntyre, a retired and disabled Army veteran on a fixed income, said he feels "completely victimized" with nowhere to turn.
"To save my credit, I have to pay the loan, as I had already spoken to a public relations representative from Good Leap, where the loan went through. They have no idea as to what their position is at this time as well," McIntyre said.