‘Can’t sleep at night’: Dozens of Superior Plus Propane customers left on empty, in the cold, for weeks

MIDDLESEX COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — Dozens of Virginians say they waited more than a month for Superior Plus Propane to deliver much-needed fuel as they braced the winter cold without heat or answers.

Mike Miller and Robert Leibowitz each moved to Middlesex County years ago. The two found the rural area to be the perfect spot for their families to enjoy retirement.

Like many small towns, their homes use propane fuel to keep them warm in the wintertime. For years, they said the propane delivery service they relied on was dependable. Most recently, Quarles Petroleum Fuel would fill their tank as soon as they said it reached 20%.

However, according to Quarles Fuel's website, the company was bought by Superior Plus Propane in June 2022 -- and Quarles Fuel isn't the only purchase Superior Plus Propane has made recently. According to its website, the fast-growing, Canadian-based fuel company has bought 27 companies in the past five years.

Sign for Superior Plus Propane, which owns Quarles Fuel as of 2022. (Photo: Jakobi Davis/8News)

Miller and Leibowitz both told 8News that they'd noticed Superior Plus Propane added to their bills in 2025. Not long after that, they said the quality of their services changed.

The two hoped to go into this winter season with a full tank of fuel. In the summer 2025, Leibowitz bought 400 gallons of propane and paid upfront. He said the amount was normally more than enough to get through the winter. But, when December came, instead of getting his full order, he says the fuel company only filled him to roughly 60%.

“I was thinking that was rather odd," Leibowitz said.

Miller had also expected a fuel delivery at the end of December. However, by Jan. 6, the only thing he received was an email promising his delivery would be made.

“I printed it out on Feb. 1, showing [that] we're at 5% full," Miller said.

Leibowitz was in a similar situation, with his tank reaching a dangerous low due to that incomplete delivery in December.

The two said that when they reached out to Superior Plus Propane, after they finally got a hold of someone, they were told they would receive a delivery date -- but that delivery never came.

Leibowitz described the whole experience as "nerve-racking."

“You can't sleep at night because you don't know if you'll have heat during the night or in the morning," Leibowitz said.

These two residents are not the only ones who have suffered this uncertainty. 8News spoke with dozens of customers in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New York and even Canada who all said they were also waiting for a delivery with their tanks either empty or at risk of running out.

8News brought these concerns to Superior Plus Propane and a spokesperson shared the following statement, which is formatted as a list of questions and answers:

"Is Superior Plus Propane aware of the problem?

At Superior, our top priority is safely delivering propane. We understand how stressful it can be to worry about heat during severe winter weather, and we take that responsibility seriously. We recognize that some customers are experiencing longer-than-usual wait times during periods of extremely high seasonal demand, and we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience. Extreme cold, heavy snowfall, and difficult road conditions can delay or limit deliveries. We are actively working to address emergency needs, and our drivers are working hard to complete deliveries as safely and efficiently as possible.

Why are deliveries delayed?

In the past, deliveries were scheduled using a “one size fits all” approach, based on predicted consumption and/or tank monitor readings. Now, we’ve introduced a personalized, predictive system that automatically schedules deliveries based on customers’ actual usage, weather, and delivery time. We are continuing to make improvements to our system to restore the reliable service customers have come to expect from Superior. 

What is Superior Plus Propane doing to support customers?

To support our customers, we’ve increased capacity in the area by bringing in additional team members from neighboring markets and have also added additional call center staff. This will help stabilize service levels and provide a better overall customer experience. We have dedicated teams that review service disruptions to understand what happened and ensure our customers’ service is restored as quickly and safely as possible. Our teams review each situation individually and take appropriate steps to support our customers and prevent future issues.

What should customers do if they are still waiting for a delivery?

For routine inquiries, account management, payments, and delivery requests, we encourage customers to use the mySuperior online portal or mobile app. These tools are available 24/7 and offer the fastest, no‑wait option. Customers who prefer phone or mail service will continue to have those options available. As a reminder, any individual interacting on social media outside of Superior’s official company accounts is not an authorized representative."

After 8News reached out to the company on behalf of Miller, he said he received a long-awaited delivery the next morning.

“I think without involving you, and having your involvement, calling them with our name ... we would [have] never got service," Miller said.

Leibowitz received a delivery after reaching out to lawmakers.

“To know that some of our neighbors ran out of fuel is heartbreaking, because that didn't need to happen," Leibowitz said.

A state law is in place to prevent propane customers from running out. According to the law, customers who have made a good faith effort to get their propane provider to deliver fuel and are at risk of running out in 24 hours have the right to an emergency fill. This allows a different propane provider to fill a tank even if they do not own it.