Community Chat

[mspatmac]

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@patbz wrote:

The reason Texans know what their bill will be is because the rate per kilowatt jumped by 9000% so if they take last month's bill, check the kilowatt usage, multiply by 9000% they've got it!( ugh).

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@MamaWick  @patbz Thanks for the reminder MamaWick, with all that's going on I  didn't think of that. Patbz, great explanation, fully explains why it's important to stop auto pay.   

[Kachina624]

@MamaWick.  I agree, I'd shut off the auto pay too.  I had a rude awakening years ago when I had a sudden leak that resulted in a $600 water bill.  To this day, I still pay it manually every month.

[Kachina624]

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@Cakers3 wrote:

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@Kachina624 wrote:

There has got to be something wrong with recent reports of astronomical bills.  People couldn't possibly had their meters read and have gotten their bills that fast.

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@Kachina624   You keep asking the same question on all the threads.

Most meters are read remotely now.  Many customers are on e-billing so it is very realistic that they received a bill depending upon their billing dates.

I cannot verify if all these stories about bills being $17,000 and it is possible that they are receiving ESTIMATED bills before a final bill is issued.

Just as the floating stories regarding $999/day hotel fees, many stories are not always true.

But it is possible some have already seen their bills.

hth

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@Cakers3.  If its okay with you (or not) I'll  keep asking the same question until I get a sensible answer.  Yours was not it.

[kaydee50]

@granddi Thank you for a very good and clear explanation of what is happening in Texas.  Good luck to you!

[Kachina624]

@granddi.  Some people are going to have a lot to answer for.  You can probably kiss a lot of politicians goodbye.  This scandal will go on for years.  Millions of people snookered. 

Thanks for the logical explanation.  All of the 35 years I lived in Texas, I never heard of that Mickey Mouse electric company.  I just paid Houston Lighting and Power every month and didn't give it a second thought.

[Greeneyedlady21]

@granddi Thank you for your candid informative answer. I hope and pray things get better soon.

[Anonymous032819]

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@Cakers3 wrote:

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@Kachina624 wrote:

There has got to be something wrong with recent reports of astronomical bills.  People couldn't possibly had their meters read and have gotten their bills that fast.

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@Kachina624   You keep asking the same question on all the threads.

Most meters are read remotely now.  Many customers are on e-billing so it is very realistic that they received a bill depending upon their billing dates.

I cannot verify if all these stories about bills being $17,000 and it is possible that they are receiving ESTIMATED bills before a final bill is issued.

Just as the floating stories regarding $999/day hotel fees, many stories are not always true.

But it is possible some have already seen their bills.

hth

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@Cakers3 

You are 100% correct.

The days of an actual human being going around and reading meters are a thing of the past.

Now, a computer keeps track of how much energy and gas is consumed by the customer.

[Lali1]

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@Cakers3 wrote:

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@Kachina624 wrote:

There has got to be something wrong with recent reports of astronomical bills.  People couldn't possibly had their meters read and have gotten their bills that fast.

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@Kachina624   You keep asking the same question on all the threads.

Most meters are read remotely now.  Many customers are on e-billing so it is very realistic that they received a bill depending upon their billing dates.

I cannot verify if all these stories about bills being $17,000 and it is possible that they are receiving ESTIMATED bills before a final bill is issued.

Just as the floating stories regarding $999/day hotel fees, many stories are not always true.

But it is possible some have already seen their bills.

hth

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In my area they are not read remotely. A car with a big reader rides around and reads them. They don't get out of the car it just reads as it goes. Just as Kachina said there's no way that has happened will all that is going on. I don't believe this story applies to the majority of us. Maybe something happened by accident but the average person is not going to get a bill like that. 

[Kachina624]

@Anonymous032819.  Maybe thats how they do things in California but we have meter readers here.  So the reply was not 100% correct.  How could you possibly know what they do in every municipality in the US to so positively affirm that someone is 100% correct?

[Spurt]

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@Kachina624 wrote:

@granddi.  Some people are going to have a lot to answer for.  You can probably kiss a lot of politicians goodbye.  This scandal will go on for years.  Millions of people snookered.

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@Kachina624 

To put it in Reader's Digest terms. There is a separate charge on the bill in addition to the wattage used....the separate charge is called a "fuel adjustment" and it's based on the market price for energy....thats what's going to cause the increase.....

Now our Mayor says it should definitely not be the consumers but ERCOT (the energy distributor) that  should bear the additional cost due to mismanagement.  

Our energy company, CPS, said they would try to spread the increase out over a 10 year period....But now other considerations are on the table.... The long-term plan is still taking shape and options on the table include bonds, federal aid and working with state lawmakers. (there's something called a "rainy day fund" the State has in place....for unforseen catastrophes)..... But I dont trust the CEO of CPS...she has been caught in so many lies as she's tried to throw other people under the bus for her part of the mis-management at the local level....