Nordic Energy Services Lawsuit: Are You Overpaying for Energy?

Case Overview: A class action lawsuit accuses Nordic Energy Services of a "bait-and-switch" scheme, charging customers inflated rates and hiding excessive markups in energy bills.

Consumers Affected: U.S. consumers who contracted with Nordic Energy Services and whose contracts have either a Variable Commodity Component or a Transportation and Storage Component.

Court: U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois

A retail energy supplier that promises low rates is now facing a class action lawsuit alleging it did just the opposite. Nordic Energy Services, which sells electricity and natural gas in deregulated energy markets across the U.S., is being sued for breach of contract and deceptive business practices. 

According to the lawsuit, the company lured residential and commercial customers with the promise of competitive, market-based rates—only to hike prices through hidden fees and unjustified markups.

Nordic Energy Accused of Inflating Energy Rates

Andrew Bickel, a resident of Demotte, Indiana, filed the proposed class action lawsuit after he signed up for Nordic’s natural gas service in April 2022 when he was offered a short-term fixed rate followed by a “market-based” variable rate. The company promised to charge him its actual energy acquisition costs, plus a flat markup of 25 cents per therm, along with pass-through transportation and storage fees.

But once the fixed rate expired, Bickel says his monthly bills ballooned—and not in line with market prices. He alleges that Nordic charged him inflated rates for both the cost of gas and for transporting and storing it, far exceeding what the contract allowed. 

Public data shows that Nordic’s rates routinely exceeded the market rate plus the promised 25-cent markup, suggesting that the company was profiting well beyond its stated margins. Bickel canceled his contract in February 2025 but says he was overcharged nearly every month he was a customer.

Lawsuit Details Alleged "Bait-and-Switch" Pricing Scheme

In deregulated energy markets, companies like Nordic are allowed to compete with local utilities by offering supply contracts. These alternative suppliers don’t generate or deliver electricity or gas; they simply buy it wholesale and resell it to consumers, the lawsuit explains.

The lawsuit argues that Nordic exploited that model—and the information gap consumers face—by hiding excessive markups in its monthly rates. The company allegedly misrepresented how it calculated its variable rates and quietly inflated the transportation and storage charges it passes on to customers. 

While customers believed they were paying based on wholesale costs, the lawsuit says they were really paying whatever Nordic chose to charge. The complaint also says the company capitalized on “status quo bias”—the human tendency to stick with defaults. Once customers signed up, Nordic relied on their inattention to quietly hike rates month after month.

Energy Company Joins List of Businesses Facing Pricing Lawsuits

Nordic’s alleged bait-and-switch strategy isn’t the only case of a company being sued for deceptive pricing. Tesla is currently facing a lawsuit alleging it uses inflated mileage readings to prematurely void warranties and push customers into costly repairs or new warranty plans. 

Meanwhile, Bank of America has been accused of changing the terms of a travel credit card offer after customers met spending thresholds, effectively downgrading promised rewards without notice.

And Disney has come under fire in a class action lawsuit alleging it uses its ownership of ESPN and Hulu to drive up prices in the streaming TV market—pressuring providers to bundle Disney channels and inflating costs for consumers.

In his lawsuit against Nordic Energy Services, Bickel wants to represent Nordic customers in the US whose contracts have either a Variable Commodity Component or a Transportation and Storage Component.

Case Details

• Lawsuit: Bickel v. Nordic Energy Services, LLC
• Case Number: 1:25-cv-03454 
• Court: U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois 

Plaintiffs' Attorneys

• Katrina Carroll (Carroll Shamberg LLC)
• J. Burkett McInturff (Wittels Mcinturff Palikovic)
• D. Greg Blankinship (Finkelstein, Blankinship, Frei-Pearson & Garber, LLP)

Are you a Nordic Energy Services customer? Have you noticed unexpected spikes in your energy bills? Share your experiences below.