Former child star Dustin Diamond is facing legal action from a U.S. energy company after allegedly failing to pay his utility bills.

A lawsuit filed by We Energies indicates that the actor, who played nerd Screech Powers in the teen sitcom Saved By The Bell, has failed to pay an outstanding bill of $2,079 for amenities provided to his home in Port Washington, Wisconsin.

Diamond, 32, has until 15 April to respond to the lawsuit, filed in Wisconsin's Ozaukee County Circuit Court and obtained by the Journal Sentinel newspaper.

It isn't the first time the star has landed in financial trouble - in 2006 he faced the foreclosure of his home unless he paid the $272,000 he owed under a land contract.

He called on fans to help him come up with the cash by buying T-shirts that read: "I paid $15.00 to save Screech's house."

The foreclosure case was dismissed after Diamond was able to secure the funds.