Smartmeter review: Extremely High Electricity Bill 36

My bill was around $170.00 all summer long. The "Smart Meter" was installed and my first bill shot up to $290.00. I haven't changed one thing about my power usage. This new meter is a SCAM!...Also, if you have the same problem, let me tell you now that PG&E customer service is a joke. If you live in the state of California, I have provided an address for complaints.

Copy and paste to your browser. http://www.cpuc.ca.gov/PUC/CEC/e_complaint/a_utilitycomplaint.htm

I have a small apartment on my property with seperate electric. we had it turned off for over a year & just turned it back on for a day. The electric company came out & put a new meter on the place because the old one wasn't reading any usage. Now we have rented the apartment & the electric compnay sent us a bill for assumed usage for the past year when all electric was turned off. What can I do?

I totally agree and I just got off the phone with them. My home bill doubled and I just received the bill at my work and it went up 42%. I did an analysis of our average monthly Kwh usage over the last 24 months and the average daily Kwh was 62/day. The bill I received was at 107 Kwh/day. I just went out and read my meter and for this month was are at 105 Kwh/day. I called PG&E and they made me call the SmartMeter # [protected]. The guy I spoke with could offer no explanation and said they were not receiving a large number of complaints. I know that he is lying.

When my husband called to complain about our personal bill the rep at PG&E told him "off the record" that the old meters were not efficient and did not read correctly. The new smart meters are now reading the actual usage and that is the reason for the increase. What a rip-off and of course there is nothing we can do about it.

PG$E has found a way to get more money! The old meters only read the amount of use during a period of time and we we're charged a flat rate for the amount used, fair enough. Now PG$E has found a way to get a rate hike.. These new meters read every half hour and sent it to PG$G.. This NEW METER method shows them that you're using power at what they call peak periods and they double and triple the price for these periods all under the excuse of "conservation" and the need to teach you to use your appliances at different hours (which won't help you at all). The hours between 2pm tell 7pm are those hours and here in Bakersfield the temp is around 104 to 117 and PG$E say that we should use fans during these hours to save money.. AS I SAID, this is a way for this MONOPOLY to get more money only, we need to take action now and fight to stop this. I'm a disabled man, in an apartment with no control over insulation or the appliances that are here. This is just a way to make more money by simply changing me from a flat rate to a METERED RATE SYSTEM…..

From what I know you cant have them install a new non smart meter for a month and they can monitor that one and that will show if the new smart meter was billing you correctly. My friend works for SoCal Edison and he says the only way you could tell a old fashion gear driven elec meter was not working is when it slows down to a point where it didnt move the internal gears. The smart meter actually tells you how much electricity you are using at that very moment, if you plug in a 1500 watt portable heater and the read on the smart meter jums up 1.5kwh you know its measuring it correctly if the number is much higher then you know there is something wrong with the meter. Before you ask for the meter to be changed I would document that you did a test like this so you have your own proof and you know on your own and no one can lie to you.

Hi,
I got my PGNE electric bill to $80.00 /month when i live in studio, My average bill is $25.00 for yrs. I spoke to rep as per them its my hot water usage.PG N E has another way to rip customer . Seem like they are giving cell phone tough competition.

my meter is now 4000 kwh higher then this time last year . i read my meter every morning, sence 07 and seen an increase until my 4 th meter was put in.

DID YOU KNOW: CPUC IS TRANSFERRING CALLS REQUESTING RIGHT AND COMPLAINTS FOR SM METER C, WITHOUT NOTIFICATION, TO PGE'S OFFICE, WHO ARE THEN PRETENDING TO BY PUC MANAGERS!
DETAILS: I had a smart meter installed...
House size 2bd/1ba 800 sf., gas heat, dryer, water heater, cooking:
PGE bill for 5 previous years avg. 110-160, avg. elect bill: 55-90:
PGE Bill after SMART METER: $600-$650! Electrical: 500+ (NO JUMP IN GAS BILL!)
Called to dispute, they sent a reader out, said all was honky dory (just like when they power serged me last yr)
Right after that visit, elect bill reduced back down to 80-110!
After paying over $1200, I refused the remaining balance, so they shut me off!
Called CPUC, SF office to complain: ***Heres where it gets REALLY good...
I told CPUC the situation, I'm not handing another thousand plus over without some kind of protection, and I wanted to file a complaint...so CPUC employee transfered me to a supervisor.
Supervisor (PGE faking to be CPUC) comes on, and defends PGE. Tells me I have no rights, and just arraigned a payment! Here's part of the conversation: Me: "As an CPUC employee-public advocate I can't believe your attitude" Her: "Well, what do you want us to do for you" Me: " I want to file a PUC complaint, and know my rights! For a 2/1 and a 5 year history there is no way this is correct." She: "Well your meter must be correct, you don't have any rights, there is nothing you can do about it." Me: "what is your name!" She: "Ariella" Me: "and your a PUC manager" She "" I AM a manager" Me "for the PUC?!" Silence... Me "Do you work for the for the PUC" silence...
ME " Do you work for PGE?!" Her "Yes, I'm a manager for PGE
All I can say is WOW, How many people are they tricking into not filing a complaint with this! thank you on behalf of all of us that need your help, SF CPUC office of Harold Williams for standing up for us once again!

Update: Just spoke to Harold from the PUC: This may interest you...

CPUC is NOT an advocate for the public
They are simply a mediator
"In the middle between the public and PGE"
They actually "represent both!"

Policy is on calls:
If dispute, even if don't want to talk to PGE, they transfer you to PGE...with no follow up
If you didn't get the response you wanted, it's up to you to file a complaint (unless you were tricked!)
Unless they broke a specific rule (IE prove the smart reader is wrong) nothing is done

Bottom line: Document all before calling PGE, because if they say "all is fine" you won't have a leg to stand on!

Oh...and they really were not that concerned that "Ariela" was posing as a CPUC employee, said I should call PGE about it, or file a complaint. Oh, by the way, shes not even a supervisor!

I am in Florida and just had one of these smart meters installed. Our bill doubled. It has made it across the country. I know it is hot here, but we keep our house at 78 in the summer and we have not changed anything in the townhouse we live in yet our usage doubled? We live in the middle of a row of three townhouses and our meter was the only one that was changed and our bill was the only one that increased.

The power company here just says that it is a coincidence. Just today, a friend from Alabama called me to tell me about her power bill. The same thing has happened to her. It must have started with the west coast and now it's here, also. I am unsure of what can be done about it.

This is part of a much bigger agenda. I can feel it.

I filed a complaint and signed a petition via turn- the more the better.
http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/746/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=2389
or simply google turn and smart meter for their website.
Stop Outrageous Smart Meter Bills!
PG&E customers in Bakersfield recently finished their first summer with smart meters, a technological advance that was supposed to save customers money by helping them lower their energy bills. Instead, Bakersfield bills skyrocketed, and PG&E's response was 'don't use so much power.' Now other customers in California have had the meters forced on them too, and they are having the same problems.

Complaints about these dumb smart meters are pouring into TURN. PG&E customers told us their demands, and we're taking them to the CPUC (California Public Utilities Commission) and state legislature. Sign TURN's petition demanding more accountability from PG&E and a moratorium on smart meters.

I received my bill for May to June and I had a $200 gas bill! (and $250 electric). I had not turned on the furnace AT ALL during that time, and only gas appliances are gas water heater and gas dryer. Absolutely no reason for this usage, which was more than double our usage during December! I complained and have a case #, but have heard nothing, and was told I had to pay the bill anyway while it is being investigated.

So, we had a pretty mild summer from June to July, I told everyone to keep air off to get that electric bill under control, we turned it on for a total of 6 hours during that time frame (as oppopsed to the previous month where it was on an average of 6 hours a DAY), and our new bill was $340 for electicity during this time, $90 higher than the previous month when we ran the air a lot! So again I call, and am told I have a wiring problem and potential fire hazard, that THEIR READINGS ARE RIGHT, and I need to hire an electrician! So, I find a nice electrician who rather than charging me an arm and a leg to come out, asked me pertinent questions...am I having power surges, electrical outlets working only part of the time, am I tripping the currents, blowing fuses, blowing light bulbs a lot...all of which I said NO to. So, I unplugged everything, then added one appliance at a time, 1 room at a time, slowly with someone else out monitoring the Smart Meter...no problem usage problems. Still PG&E says their smart meters are foolproof, it is my problem, I have to pay! I am moving the h***ll out of California.

I received my 1st bill in June after the installation of the smart meter in May and it was $320. My 2nd bill was $323. I called Ga Power and was told they would send some one out to do an audit which of course they found that everything was working OK. I explained that it can't be right. Ever since the new meter was installed my bill more than doubled. Now, I understand that the summer months the bills are normally higher. But this is more than $100 more than my normal summer rates. Well, I thought that once the kids started back school and was no longer home during the day, my usage should decrease. 2 out of the 4 weeks in this billing cycle, they were in school. But my bill is even higher - $332. I called Ga Power again. Now they are suggesting they do an energy audit on my home. I explained that nothing has changed in my home except for the smart meter. I am left feeling that it must be my problem. They say they want to satisfy me but not really because they are insisting there is nothing wrong on their end. I think it's very coincidental that my bill more that double after the new meter was installed.

Well the CPUC (CA Public Utilities Commission) just announced that the "SMART" meters are working just fine. All accurate. Well guess what? The CPUC is nothing more than the fox guarding the hen house, folks! They work for the energy companies NOT for us. I bet none of you requested this device. I certainly didn't. I also bet none of you were able to opt-out. Nope. Not me either. Aren't you feeling just a little bit unnerved by this obvious and blatant disregard for our liberties? Orwell must be rolling in his grave...

I have a complaint regarding DelMarva Power of DE. My electric bill has jumped from $89 to $350 in one month. Who can we complain to as I feel this is fraud. Did not even have to pay that much during the hottest month of the summer, and for the mo. of Aug., there is no way I used my air condition more than July. This is fraudulant and I want to know who to complain to and why are they getting away with it? Please respond in kind. Thank you.

In the past, I had $40-$80 a month, now they are charging me $230 +. I don't know how I can possibly use so much electricity. This is outrages. My last read was 1300 KWH and in the past I only used under 500KWH. How can they explain this. Oh wait, the old meters where inaccurate so they say. It is only my wife and I and we are not home most of the week and our appliances are not used that often. Water heater is always set low, fridge low in energy save, TVs off, energy efficient light bulbs use very minimum, laundry only used once a month, heater not really used as place is very well insulated and cooling maybe one week out of the year at them most. This is a big huge SCAM. I bet you that we are paying for that gas explosion PGE recently had.

My delmarva bill tripled when the digital switch was made.It seems the phone number they had on my record was not mine.
I called delmarva to file a complaint and was simply told PROVE IT!
I have been staying with an elderly family member. My bills have ranged from 58.00 to $85.00 monthly and i, m not there! I have unplugged everything except the fridge and set the thermostat at lowest setting. This is a robbery in progress! It, s time to notify our congressman and senator!@! Delmarva told me i, m paying for the fridge and hot water heater even though i, m never home! dizzy in delaware

Our Smart Meter was installed and the first month our bill went from an average of $250 per month up to $601, last month we went up to $897. When our bill shot up to $601, we unplugged the hot tub and pump to our pond and installed a timer on our hot water heater. Our source of heat is a wood burning stove, so our bill is electric only. Our bill showed we used 2780 KWH, this is crazy. We can not afford for our utility bill to be close to $900 per month. We contacted PG&E twice and they sent someone out. Of course they said there was nothing wrong with our meter that it tested 100% accurate; however, they could not explain why even with the breakers all turned off the meter stilled showed we were running 1200 watts. Also, we show some peak usuage at 3:00 am (when everyone is fast asleep) of 6700 watts. PG&E offerred to average our bill to $390 for the next four months, but then they will reevaluate and and base the average on the current rate. We can not afford $900 per month and are desperate to prove that our meter is inaccurate. Does any one have any suggestions on who we can contact our how to prove our meter is inaccurate?

on top of the money, the smart meter will make you sick. . . but, its ok for PG&E to kill ya

Please visit www.turn.org.

Please visit www.turn.org

my light bill went from 150.00 to 400.00 in last three months on wake electric. and im not using no than i did on the first month

Yes, I got bill electric and gas together for $273.00 a month. Unbelievable. I called PGE that She said I trying to cut down electric and use gas . I did cut electric down but gas is up for $213.00. What is reverse price?

What is going on! I agree with all the above testimony. We haven't changed anything and yet after smart meter was installed our bill doubled! Something is very wrong. They are making us pay for San Bruno by ripping us off? Their incompitence and we have to pay?
Who is doing anyhting about this? PUC is in the pockets of the enrgy companies. The government in fact appoints people from the industry to sit on comminssion. Where is our representation. Wake-up people! We are being screwed every which way. The government does not represent us. They represent corporations. It's going to get worse!
CORRUPTION!

My electric bill has been a lot more higher since PG&E installed the smart meter. I do not know if I have the right to ask them to change it back.
After PG&E installed the smart meter, we did not receive bill of electricity for 3 months and suddenly they sent us a big bill with much higher usage numbers.
I do not know as a customer what kind of right I have. Before I trust PG&E and pay whatever they billed me with no doubt. Now I lost the confidence.
They said the smart meter is more correct, I hardly believe.

Our electric bills used to be about 109.00 to140.00 per mo. and we had a pool with a filter.

PG&E installed a so called SMART METER .
We sold ou8r pool so we use less power BUT with the SMART METER we are now getting bills of over 200.00 to 300.00 dollars. Boy is PG & E making a fool out of us and getting VERY rich out of cheating the general public. The sad part, is they don't care how hard anyone has it as long as they live high on our money. Bring back the meters that don't cheat.
We live in Coarsegold, Ca.

My PG&E bill is also higher by $20.00 more every month compared to last year. I complained to PG&E and I got the same run around. I asked them to remove it and they asked me why. Other then the more expensive bill every month, what other reason is there?

Here's a good one...my electricity has been turned off for 3 months for non payment YET I am receiving a new bill each month for current usage, not the previous balance but new usage. How can they say they have read the meter and bill for kilowatts used when there is no power to my home at all? And am I responsible for these new bills?

I have lost a A/C unit and 2 Microwaves since my so called smart meter was installed about 3 months ago. Centerpoint already has a claims department set up so i called them to make a claim on my damages and when i spoke with a claims adjuster she looked up my total power outages since May and they came to over 20! She said they would send someone out that day to see what was going on because she even agreed that was not normal, well yesterday i get a letter in the mail stating they were not responsible for my outages and that everyone experiences these type of outages due to routine maintenance in the area, cars hitting poles, vermin climbing poles and severe weather conditions ( these were their exact words) GIVE ME A BREAK! it has maybe rained 2 times in my area and i doubt that many rodents are climbing their poles and why didn't i have these problems before that stupid meter was installed when i have lived here more than 4 years?

I just received this months bill from PG&E. LAST MONTH IT WAS $281.84 AND NOW THIS MONTH IT IS $444.10
That was a $162.26 difference for one month .
What can we do to stop this kind of legal robbery?
We sold our pool last year and now they say we are using MORE electricity. no way. The sad part of this whole mess is we will not get any satisfaction from Pacific Gas and Electric because in my opinion it seems that they get away with anything they want. They sure must be above the law because NOTHING IS BEING DONE TO CORRECT THIS HORRIBLE ACTION FROM P G & E. It's obvious this company
does not care about the people that they are hurting with their so called SMART METERS. They are smart alright because they are keeping the top brass in extra money. In my opinion There will be nothing done about this because too many people are benifitting from all of the extra money they are taking from the american people.
I guess no one is going to do anything about this so called smart meter .

Bill shot up over 60%. Daily usage shows a huge jump from day to day when I am not even home and nothing is running. I was never given the option of not having this piece of cramp installed; I live in an apartment complex. This is robbery just like the credit card companies and their usurious rates. Where/how do we organize to get this crooks put in jail?

I call the PG&E and complainted about my bill which was around $200-$250.00 a month, my bill went up to $600.00 after the smart meter was installed, I have not changed anything, but now I cook, clean and do less laundry then before because my children are not with us anymore, also I have seperate heaters sections in my home. I called PG&E and they started there question, and I told them about my problem, they asked me if I had any new appliances, and I said yes, I bought a new refrigerator, a engery saver one from Sears, the lady from PG&E replied that the refrigerator was the problem and that is why the bill jumped up... Can you belive this, I was going to ask her where she got her education from. The Smart Meter's are A SCAM, I am opting out of the program, but WE NEED TO ALL WAKE-UP AND HAVE A MOVEMENT AGAINST PG&E, THIS IS THE BIGGEST FRAUD, BIGGER THEN WHAT THE BANKS HAVE DONE TO HOUSING. Anyone that whats to join me starting a movement. contact me. Are we living in American or some third world country. Let us fight, and I am so suprised that people are fighting, let's get together and do something about it.

I live in Las Vegas NV and all the things you is saying is going on here in Vegas I changed all my lights to compacts 16watts from 60 watts and my bill match my last two years bill with in 30kw how can this be rigth with all the changes also I am a etectrian

PGE IS OVER CHARGING CUSTOMERS, I WAS CHARGE A DEPOSIT AND PAID IT IN THREE PAYMENTS. WHEN I GOT THE FORTH BILLING PAYMENT I WAS CHARGED ANOTHER FEE DEPOSIT. I WENT THE PGE OFFICE AND WAS TOLD THAT ONE OF THE THREE PAYMENT DEPOSITS WAS FOR PGE BILL THAT CAME IN LATE.. I`M NOW PAYING A DEPOSIT FOR WHO KNOWS WHAT.

JM IN OREGON

Thank you hey want to start this here in Kentucky, I don't want it either I am disabled

Just got a $7536.39 bill. The new smart meter they said misread the reading to our park. Now we have 10 people in this park. The average bill before in our cycle is $1539.00 They are now estimating us to over $3600.00 next month and we are now being billed back for 4 months of what they deem we owe for a past amount. All total over $11, 000 by next month. They say the mistake is not a mistake. They say their new smart meter caught up. There is no way we are using 3 times the electricity! They are lying and saying to bad you have to pay what we think you owe! Is there a lawsuit?!?! We all need to start a lawsuit and go after PG&E and the makers of the new smart meter! We need to unite nationwide and sue this company! This is extortion at its WORST!