My power company has got to be out of thier mind

[galeane29]

Last month just before Christmas we installed an RV outlet to our storage building/shop for my BIL and his family to hook their RV up to it.
We have separate bills for the house and shop because each has it's own meter. We get a bill each month in our email and a paper bill. I just checked my email and you will NOT believe what the bill for the shop states! First off the bill for 3 years has not been over $20 a month, this is what the new bill reads....

Previous Balance $19.06
Payments received since last bill $19.06

Present Reading 96
Previous Reading 9500
Energy Charge $6,176.23
Power Cost Adjustment $2,397.17
Other Tax $188.61
Total Current Bill $9104,95


The power bill for my house was $112.00
Something is seriously wrong here

[sheila_361]

Wow that's totally f'ed up....

Hi April!! :hug

[galeane29]

I agree

Hi Sheila! :) lol

[nosamiam]

wow

[WtPlover]

I don't know but I would make your family help you pay it and I would call the power company on Monday and find out why my bill is so big that is bull sh!t

[Anniston]

What the heck? I bet you are so anxious for Monday to come so you can give them a call.

[galeane29]

Yeah, I find it funny they send out that bill on a Sat.

[Warner Ath]

Last month just before Christmas we installed an RV outlet to our storage building/shop for my BIL and his family to hook their RV up to it.
We have separate bills for the house and shop because each has it's own meter. We get a bill each month in our email and a paper bill. I just checked my email and you will NOT believe what the bill for the shop states! First off the bill for 3 years has not been over $20 a month, this is what the new bill reads....

Previous Balance $19.06
Payments received since last bill $19.06

Present Reading 96
Previous Reading 9500
Energy Charge $6,176.23
Power Cost Adjustment $2,397.17
Other Tax $188.61
Total Current Bill $9104,95


The power bill for my house was $112.00
Something is seriously wrong here

If the previous reading was 9500 and the present reading is only 96 that is negative 9404. How did you use less than zero? Maybe the $9404 is what they owe you.

[OmaLisa]

I worked for 4 years at the utility company here in Cedar Rapids in the billing department. With the readings they are showing it looks to me that they may have done a meter exchange or the meter reader entered the reading incorrectly. You should be able to get it straightened out with a phone call. Just ask them to do a re-read and if that doesn't straighten it out ask if the meter was exchanged.

[Jackie_Blu]

It's very possible something is screwed up with the meter. I'd tell them to get their butts over there and check it. Good luck, hon:)

[msmom79]

holy chit! girl. thats unbelievable-and just nuts! hope you get that one fixed,but fast-best of luck to you.just when you talk to them be calm and nice,we dont want to visit you in jail.

[gmyers]

Dang I hope its a mistake. Could the rv have used a lot of electricity. If it did I hope they help you pay it.

[galeane29]

I worked for 4 years at the utility company here in Cedar Rapids in the billing department. With the readings they are showing it looks to me that they may have done a meter exchange or the meter reader entered the reading incorrectly. You should be able to get it straightened out with a phone call. Just ask them to do a re-read and if that doesn't straighten it out ask if the meter was exchanged.

I doubt it was changed out. I remember the guy coming over and reading it too. We live out in the country and I'm home about 95% of the time. If it was changed out, I had no idea.

When I saw the numbers, I lost my breath for a second...lol

[galeane29]

Dang I hope its a mistake. Could the rv have used a lot of electricity. If it did I hope they help you pay it.


It has got to be a mistake. And I hope to God that damned RV would not use that much power, if so, they will have to take it elsewhere.
BTW, I would not pay a penny out of my pocket that's for sure.

[Jackie_Blu]

I doubt it was changed out. I remember the guy coming over and reading it too. We live out in the country and I'm home about 95% of the time. If it was changed out, I had no idea.

When I saw the numbers, I lost my breath for a second...lol

Did you happen to go look at the numbers on the meter? There's got to be a mistake somewhere.....

[gmyers]

What makes me mad about the light company is you can tell them till you're blue in the face you didn't use that much and they tell me I stil have to pay it. When you do the same things every month it shouldn't jump way up.

[galeane29]

Did you happen to go look at the numbers on the meter? There's got to be a mistake somewhere.....

Not yet, We are watching a movie and when it's over I'll go out and check.

[freeby4me]

Im confused. Have they already hooked up the RV? I mean, it cant cost that much or theres no way campgrounds would have any electric hook up lol also, is it possible that you hooked up the plug wrong or messed it up somehow?
Please let us know what they say, I'm very curious.

[Urban Cowgirl]

Dang I hope its a mistake. Could the rv have used a lot of electricity. If it did I hope they help you pay it.


No way it used $9000 worth! Ask them if they will cover your medical bills after the heart attack they gave you.

[Mini]

Wow my jaw dropped when I saw that number! lol I agree it has to be a mistake if its not Id be takin my gun out there an tellin them to pay the bill an get the hell off LOL BIL or no BIL thats a $9000 bill

[galeane29]

Im confused. Have they already hooked up the RV? I mean, it cant cost that much or theres no way campgrounds would have any electric hook up lol also, is it possible that you hooked up the plug wrong or messed it up somehow?
Please let us know what they say, I'm very curious.


Yes, it has been hooked up since the week of Christmas.

[galeane29]

My husband went and read the meter. It says 0368 that means it tripped at 9999 and started over. Which means that it should have read 596 used not what ever that outrageous number was.

[meltodd69]

That is insane!! It has to be a mistake.
I'm surprised the power company hasn't called the police. You must have a illegal business going on to use that much power. Are you growing something LOL?

[galeane29]

That is insane!! It has to be a mistake.
I'm surprised the power company hasn't called the police. You must have a illegal business going on to use that much power. Are you growing something LOL?

They better not be LOL

[belleofpa]

WOW! My whole house runs on electricity and I've never gone over $250.00 a month.

[Quaker_Parrots]

Arent the numbers suppose to run backwards on a meter? You know, go down in value instead of up? If that is the case, there might be your problem.

[OmaLisa]

Arent the numbers suppose to run backwards on a meter? You know, go down in value instead of up? If that is the case, there might be your problem.

Actually, no, the values don't go down, they go up. Usually, electric meters have 5 digits. The digits are read right to left. Each one turns the opposite direction from the other, clockwise, counter-clockwise, clockwise, etc. Unless it is a digital meter, lol.

As I said earlier, there could be a couple of reasons for the high reading. If the meter was exchanged in the middle of the reading cycle, a fat finger when entering the reading or the meter could have gone bad.

[SLance68]

I bet someone just didn't enter all the numbers. If your former reading was 9500 I bet the new reading was 9600 and someone forgot to enter the zero's. Even though your DH read the meter and it now shows 0368 which means your BIL's RV is burning up a lot of power. That is not unusual if they are running heat or a/c plus the frig in electric instead of propane mode.

Either they read it wrong or the meter went haywire which does happen. They can put a device on the meter to show how much power is being used and when it spikes for a 24 to 48 hour period. I only know because we have done it at our office when our bill spiked to prove it wasn't us it was the meter.

[fairydana]

Dang! I would have for sure had a heart attack! I hope they get it figured out for you! I cant even imagine how an RV could use that much electricity. Something is wrong.
Stay sane! Hugs to ya!

[gmyers]

Did you find out if it was a mistake or not? I hope it was and they take it off your bill.

[whatever]

And here I got pissed off when my phone company cashed a $4500 check last year I wrote wrong!! lol
I wrote the 4500 in the box and the 100 on the line. So tech. it should have never cleared the bank since the bank is supposed to go by the line. but it did. Boy did i do some butt chewin.lol But they corrected everything.
Hope you get yours all worked out too. It only takes one screw up and believe me they are way more concious with you after that. lol

[Shann]

that is crazy, any updates? I'm guessing they read it wrong as well, hopefully they can get it taken care of ASAP

[galeane29]

I called this morning and was told that it would be passed to a different department and they would call me back later in the morning. I got a call within 10 minutes with an apology and the bill is $75.05. I still think that is quit high for an RV but I'm not paying it LOL

[1luckylady]

We have our RV plugged in all winter and its never anything like that. Thats still pretty darn high. Maybe he has an electric heater on inside?

[galeane29]

Yes they run an electric heater in the bathroom. Plus, they have a TV, computers and no telling what else using power.

[baragabrat]

I called this morning and was told that it would be passed to a different department and they would call me back later in the morning. I got a call within 10 minutes with an apology and the bill is $75.05. I still think that is quit high for an RV but I'm not paying it LOL

Oh boy, I was hoping that this would get resolved quickly. Most folks don't have several thousand dollar lying around just in case the utility bills are higher this month. I'm sure you're relieved!

[gmyers]

Thats a big difference glad it worked out for ya'll.