Anybody have an automatic reading electirc meter (AMR) using TWACS technology?
Had two meters installed in March as an upgrade by our cooperative, one on the house, and one on the shop. Five months later, a tech comes to my shop and tells me that the house meter isn’t “communicating” properly. Replaced it. Get a bill next month with a “previous balance due” of close to $500. Seems that they didn’t replace it for five months, and expect me to pay the back charge. Our cooperative doesn’t have a policy on this, and have replaced 35K of their 70K customers. Our bills for those months showed reduced consumption for the house, but not a “0” reading.
Would like to know if any of ya’ll have had a similar experience, or if your supplier has a policy for consumer remediation.
Who heard the Big Bang?
Replies
Your cooperative may not have a policy , but your state probably does.
You should find a toll free number for your state public service commission in the phone book, and maybe a state web site on the internet for them.
Make the call, do the research.
My state, KY, has very specific requirements for electric and gas meter testing and replacements. It requires the utility company to forgive or refund charges for meters that run slow or fast. Faulty equipment is not the customers burden, period.
BTW, I work for a public utility company.
Dave
Dave,
Thanks for the reply. The state I live in, Texas, does have a regulatory body, the Texas Public Utility Commission. However, since this is an electric cooperative, the TPUC may only make inquiries, and the cooperative may or may not follow the suggestions. The TPUC may only regulate publicly owned utilities. This is part of the "deregulation" of the power generation industry, and really screwed the Texas consumer.
I'll google the Ky regulatory system for your example.
I really take my hat off to the people that work for utilities, expecially electric. They take a lot of chances and do a damn good job. Who heard the Big Bang?
Same guy who hears one hand clapping!
When I say "public utility", I mean a publicly held corporation. We are not owned by any municipal or state government. In affect we are much like the cooperatives, only instead of our customers being the stock holders, anyone can purchase shares.
To be a little more specific the company I work for is a subsidiary of the largest publicly held energy corporation in the world (so they tell us). One of the reasons the parent company has not expanded more in the U.S. is because of the high degree of regulations we have here. Even though we think deregulation modifications have gone too far, they want to see even more.
Deregulation differs from state to state, and fortunately for the citizens of KY, it hasn't gotten out of hand. Thanks, in large part to the many rural electric cooperatives that serve a large percentage of the state.
Make the call to your PSC. You may be suprized at what you learn (either way).
Dave
Thanks for the clarification. I have alread contacted the TPUC, and was informed that they have little authority over cooperatives, other than inquiries. Basically, cooperatives are self-regulating.Who heard the Big Bang?
Bummer!
I am a member of a REC here by being a customer. I can either vote by proxy or attend the annual shareholder meeting to vote. If I were faced with your situation, they would definitely see my ugly mug at the next meeting. The history of RECs was to provide low or reasonable cost electric service for rural customers, not to pad the pockets of the management team that runs them.
With the increasing cost of all forms of energy a bad management decision, or equipment should not cost the REC member/owners. Yes, they do need to recover the losses, but maybe they need to recover it the same way they lost it,.... a month at a time. Faced with a long term recovery like that, the managers might become a little more diligent in monitoring tier decisions.
Dave