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Woman says solar company 'royally screwed' her

Posted at 11:55 PM, Feb 12, 2016
and last updated 2016-02-13 15:33:34-05
The rapid shift in Nevada's solar industry has turned into a nightmare for some people who invested early.
 
Dorothy Pansek paid $27,000 in cash for solar panels on her roof.
 
Now there's a lien on her house for another $9,000 since apparently her energy company, Summerlin Energy, didn't finish paying for the panels.
 
Pansek hasn't had any luck getting in touch with Summerlin Energy.
 
"In my whole life, I have never been so royally screwed," the 90-year-old said.
 
The 36 panels she bought have never been connected to the energy grid and they sit idle like stage props.
 
Dorothy was recently notified Sun Valley Electric put the lien on her house for unpaid work.
 
She says Summerlin Energy apparently didn't pay its bills so now it's on her.
 
Richard Danzak lives with Pansek and is helping her through this.
 
He owns a house too, and paid $25,000 for solar panels on his roof. Danzak says they still aren't hooked up and functioning.
 
"Now the value of the house will go down instead of up because nobody wants a house that has solar on it because it's going to cost them more to live there," Danzak said.
 
Summerlin Energy didn't return our messages.
 
The Nevada Contractors' Board has the company listed as on summary suspension.
 
That means it's illegal for Summerlin Energy to operate in the state, even though records show its business licenses in Clark County are active.