So, unless your hot water heater fixed itself sometime between the previous billing cycle and the last 14 days, I can’t see how the spike in useage can be blamed on that. Otherwise, you would still be using 140+ kWh per day.
I would guess you had several months of estimated reads that were too low. The Fuel Adjustment hasn’t got anything to do with estimated reads. That just corrects the approved rate to the actual coal or gas cost the utility had in that period.
Call the utility and ask exactly when you had actual and estimated reads. They have that info immediately available if it’s not on your bill. (Your bill usually has a read code like “E” and “A” by the readings.)
I miss handy. I was reading this thread expecting to see a post saying something like:
Have you called the utility? They’ll come out and fix it.
(Sorry, I don’t really have anything useful to add here)
No, just Google “electricity rates”. It’ll be there.
Seriously, as mentioned above the “Fuel Adjustment” on your bill just means that they adjusted to rate they charge per kWh down some miniscule amount. They are still charging you for 4519 kWh, only at the new rate that’s 0.000005 cents cheaper.
I’ve often thought we might be one of the beneficiaries of a mis-wired apartment. Our average electric bill is $25-$30 for an all-electric apartment; our record low was $14.50, much of which went toward fees, rather than electricity. I don’t live in Jackson, but if I did, I’d swear I was stealing electricity from you.
I had my electric bill double in one month. My usage habbits hadn’t changed, and while HL&P (Reliant) is notorious for raising rates, I didn’t think it woud be a 100% increase. So I called them. Turns out there was something wrong with my meter. Give your Electric Co. a call and request that they check and test the meter. I haven’t had any problems since.
By process of elimination, I believe the problem is most likely a series of monthly meter reading mistakes, underestimating the amount used for months until recently.
The amount of useage is proposterous. Since the last two weeks have returned to normal amounts used, it’s not some equipment or meter malfunction, equipment doesn’t fixed itself.
It’s unlikely someone has been stealing your electricity either. To believe that, someone suddenly started and stopped. Stealing is not usually bound by time but by being caught.
Or was. And got caught.
I would be DYING in an 80 degree room, even if it was hotter outside. I prefer low to mid-70s in the summer, even if it IS more expensive.
I got a cell phone bill like this once. Unfortunately, it was correct. Can you work out a payment plan assuming the bill is correct, or is it more the principle of figuring out HOW the bill came out so high rather than having cash in hand to pay it? I learned a most valuable lesson dealing with the power company I had in Georgia – pay them SOMETHING and they won’t turn you off. Screw up your credit, maybe, but you’d have power.
Do you have a common space attic or any other space open to you and other tenants where each unit has a receptacle or light fixture?
Something I’ve seen when performing cause and origin fire investigation in garden style apartments; an attic without firewalls and each unit has a pull chain bare bulb fixture.
If A has their electric cut off for nonpayment, they fashion a cheater cord with two male ends, and with an edison base to female adaptor, rob power from B for a month or so, or until the 16 gauge wires insulation breaks down and ignites attic contents,
bringing out the fire department.
[rant]
Yeah, had something like that happen here. Except we only get every other bills (don’t ask me why), so I’m used to paying for every other bill. All of a sudden, a get a bill for $160 and a shut off notice (one bill for $120, and one for $40). Call them up to say “Yo, WTF?” We moved in in early June, and they esimated all my usage until October. So, I was used to bills for $20-$50. Anyway, they say they’re giving me an extension to send a new bill minus the late fees. Okay, cool. They never say how many days, just “until you get a new bill.”
A week later, I wake up with no electricity. Call them up at 4:40 (remember this time) and ask how to turn the electric back on. $200. Okay, go get MO. Call back, we have the money. “Well, since it’s after 4, it’s an additional $25.” ARG! “If no one’s there by 11pm tonight, someone’ll be there sometime tomorrow.” Get power back at noon the next day. So, we get a $25 credit on our electric for the next month. This is in Nov.
Get a bill last week with a shut off notice. Apparently, the cost of Nov’s electric wasn’t included in the turn-on amount. It’s for $40. We ask for an extension until the 11th (but we paid it Friday, anyway). Get a new bill yesterday for $70. WTF. Arg.
[/rant]
Bleh. Sorry. I hate Consumer’s Energy.
But, you can go online and give them a meter reading every month. I feel like that’s something THEY need to do, not me. “Count on Us” my ass.
How can they get away with estimation?
Luckily, Mi recently . . . um . . . did whatever they hafta do so Consumer’s isn’t the only electric company.
And I don’t have to pay for my gas - the apt complex pays for it.
Oh, and here’s a fun thing. I just go online to check my bill history, an after they specifically TOLD me they didn’t read my meter until that high month, here’s what I get:
Dec: 29 Actual 342 $28.90
Nov: 32 Actual 523 $45.01
Oct: 30 Actual 1,147 $103.46
Sept:29 Actual 229 $19.16
Aug: 32 Actual 468 $37.65
(Month is when I got the bill, not FOR that month. It’s for the month before. The 29/30, etc is how many days on the bill.)
I was off by a few months in my last post, but you get the idea. I left off July cause I felt like it.
But, sometimes their statements will lie. I know for a fact they did not actually look at my meter until the High Month, but it says it’s all Actual. LIARS.
You never said what you found out.
Anyway, I’m blowing the tanks on this one to add some more info from a personal situation.
My mother called me because she got a $640 electric bill for one month’s usage (8618 kwh!).
That comes out to a continuous load of about 12000 KW. A large TV might use about 200, an average fridge about 600–that’s 15 fridges and 15 TVs running continuously 24/7.
Well, she also had an extremely large water bill–almost $200, when it’s normally about $35.
I told me nephew, who lives with her, to check the meter, in case it was an overread. If that checked out, then see how fast it was spinning. If, from one day to the next, it used 250 kwh or so, there was some wacky problem going on.e
Long story short: She had a leak under the house in a hot water line. That caused her water heater to be on constantly because cooler water was constantly flowing into it. And obviously it also affected the water meter.
Silver Serpentine, you’re in Michigan I take it? Don’t know if your “Mi” means Michigan 'cos your profile says Texas.
I wish I had Consumers’ instead of DTE – one bill is better than two. Around here Consumers provides the gas and DTE the electricity. Thing that pisses me off about Consumers, though, is they charge you $8 or so just to be a customer, even if you don’t use gas.
Oh, in any case, don’t everyone’s utilities offer average billing? You know, you pay a single amount every month, and then in the “settlement month” you either owe a little extra, or get a credit for overcharging? In the five years I’ve been doing this, I’ve always been credited, meaning, yeah, slightly overcharged. But it’s so nice to cut a payment for $60 and $50 every month without worrying about what the true price is. It also means never having to wait for their stupid bills to show up – just pay with your bank’s online banking at the beginning of the month.
It’s summertime. Here in WV the electricity always goes up in the summer, and then in the winter the gas company jacks up their rates too. We’re moving soon because we can’t handle another winter in this house with the fucking gas company’s gouging.
I’m confused about something.
You’ve told us what today’s reading is, and this is June.
Then the next two readings you tell us about are November and October?
Maybe I’ve missed something here. Were you not living there or something January-May?
I’m with Earl Snake-Hips Tucker. We have well water and had several leaks 'causing our pump to continually run. It can run a bill up and do damage to the pump.
Abbie - check the date of the OP.
Ah yes, reminds me of the first time I ever used my PE in anger. I lived in an apartment where not only was I paying for my Aircon, but that of 3 other people. Oh yeah, fun times on the electric bills, and the landlord didn’t see anything wrong with it until I showed him my calcs on how much it was costing me. Then he wasn’t going to do anything about it until I showed him my PE license. The ironic and funny thing is, the license didn’t mean anything in that context - but it impressed him enough that electricians were out the next day re-wiring the place, and I got two months rent free…
:smack: