Um, what does PE stand for? In my case, my utility bill is paid for in my condo fee, something that everyone else in the building pays for as well. Our condo fee goes up about 2% every year, without fail. Oh well, gotta have that air conditioning in the summer. I always say, “Screw the grandchildren; I wanna be cool now!”
My Professional Engineering license, which means I can legally consult to the public, run my own firm, legally call myself an “Engineer” to the public and Government, etc.
I told them in writing that my analysis of the energy consumption and wiring of the apartments, combined with interviews with the utility meter reader and building superintendent, was that they were running the air conditioners of all 4 apartments in our block through my meter. I referenced my PE as my “credentials” for making the statements I did, and informed them that I had been an expert witness on energy matters in State court. Of course you didn’t need to be a PE, or even have an engineering degree at all, to determine that an obvious problem existed with the wiring.
And about 24 hours later, the place was re-wired. The previous time I complained they told me that they “disputed my findings” as I was “not an HVAC expert”. So I felt justified in letting them know that I may not be an HVAC expert, but I was not inexperienced either.
(A Civil at work told me that I had the right to “condemn the building” using my license, as I could say that running that many amps through the meter seemed “unsafe”. But 1) I’m not sure if I had that right in that jurisdiction, and 2) then I couldn’t get to any of my stuff either.)
For those interested in the continuing (and then concluded) saga…
I paid the bill because, well, I wanted to keep using electricity in my place. That’s kind of what happens when a monopoly has you pinned to the mat and decides to start sodomizing you.
Anyways, I e-mailed the local public service commission and sent them the details. They emailed me back and asked what county I lived in. I told them.
I promptly forgot about it, because, well, who actually expects something like that to get fixed?
So, a week later I get a call back from the people at the power company. “Mister Jeek. We’ve decided to review your case, and looking at what’s showing here, there’s obviously been an error. So we’re going to credit you for those 4000KWh for that month”.
No mention of the PSC or anything like that. Just about how they were oh so generously going to take another look at things. How magnanamous of them, eh?
A couple hours later I got a call from the guy at the PSC checking to see that things had been taken care of. I thanked him profusely.
Not the most exciting story there, but I’m sure there’s a moral for those who look hard enough.
-Joe, glad he didn’t torch thier local office