---
kind: "section"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 825e"
title: "16"
title_heading: "Conservation"
number: "825e"
heading: "Complaints"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/825e"
units:
  - "Chapter 12 — Federal Regulation and Development of Power"
  - "Subchapter III — Licensees and Public Utilities; Procedural and Administrative Provisions"
---

# §825e. Complaints


Any [person](/usc/16/796.md?p=4), [electric utility](/usc/16/796.md?p=22-A), [State](/usc/16/796.md?p=6), [municipality](/usc/16/796.md?p=7), or [State commission](/usc/16/796.md?p=15) complaining of anything done or omitted to be done by any [licensee](/usc/16/796.md?p=5), [transmitting utility](/usc/16/796.md?p=23), or public utility in contravention of the provisions of this chapter may apply to the [Commission](/usc/16/544.md?p=c) by petition which shall briefly [state](/usc/16/796.md?p=6) the facts, whereupon a statement of the complaint thus made shall be forwarded by the [Commission](/usc/16/544.md?p=c) to such [licensee](/usc/16/796.md?p=5), [transmitting utility](/usc/16/796.md?p=23), or public utility, who shall be called upon to satisfy the complaint or to answer the same in writing within a reasonable time to be specified by the [Commission](/usc/16/544.md?p=c). If such [licensee](/usc/16/796.md?p=5), [transmitting utility](/usc/16/796.md?p=23), or public utility shall not satisfy the complaint within the time specified or there shall appear to be any reasonable ground for investigating such complaint, it shall be the duty of the [Commission](/usc/16/544.md?p=c) to investigate the matters complained of in such manner and by such means as it shall find proper.


## Source credit

(June 10, 1920, ch. 285, pt. III, § 306, as added Aug. 26, 1935, ch. 687, title II, § 213, 49 Stat. 856; amended Pub. L. 109–58, title XII, § 1284(a), Aug. 8, 2005, 119 Stat. 980.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2005—Pub. L. 109–58 inserted “electric utility,” after “Any person,” and “, transmitting utility,” after “licensee” wherever appearing.