My first Pit - The electric Co. Pub Service

The BBQ Pit
1

GRRRRR.

Public Service (elec. company) is giving me the run around on some work I need done. I’m putting an addition on, and need my meter moved.

My electrician scheduled this with public service 3 weeks ago. On the day the work was to be done, they told us they couldn’t. They needed more information. Information they NEVER asked for. They had scheduled the work to be done based on the information that my electrician gave them. They never asked to talk to me, or required any other info.

I get every thing they “need” and run down there, the engineer makes a sketch on a piece or recycled paper.

On my way out the public service engineer tells me “Don’t do it again”.

WTF? All permits are pulled, all inspections are in order, I have a electrician ready to go, every thing has been done by the book - PUBLIC SERVICE screwed up. Not me, not my electrician.

YOU, YES, YOU, PUBLIC SERVICE, said you would do the work THREE weeks ago. Don’t give me this “Don’t do it again” bull shit. YOU told us everything was in order and scheduled the job.

My project is now three weeks behind because public service scheduled work they could not do. Now there is snow on the ground, and back-filling is going to be a bitch. And we can pretty much forget about the siding now as well.

The pub service engineer suggested that the work could be done last week. Nothing. I have called once, my electrician has called twice. The public service engineer won’t return our calls.

I’m waiting till tomorrow (it’s a holiday today), then I’m going to turn up the heat on these folks.

Not much of a rant, I know. I just needed to bitch.

2

You know, stories like this make me almost glad I can’t afford a house currently.

Almost.

3

Yeah, but once you have your own place it’s yours. I like working on the house. Wouldn’t be putting on an addition if I didn’t. It’s sort of my ‘hobby’.

So far, we have only had a couple of set backs. The Public service thing was the biggest. Not to bad really, and I keep reminding myself that.

Hey, we all screw up. It’s inevitable. If Public Service had said - “Ooops, we made mistake, we need more info”. I would not have started this thread. But to top it off, they blamed me for their mistake. Now they are ignoring me.

I usually don’t point fingers. Shit happens. But I am in a spot that I am going to have to escalate this so that they will do what they are paid to.

I work for the Government. If I gave this kind of service, I would have been out a long time ago.

4

enipla,
I don’t know of any utility that would move a meter (moving the meter requires disconnecting your whole house temporarily and is known as a disconnect) without permission from the customer.

A contractor may initiate a disconnect but somewhere in that process the electric co. is looking for confirmation that the customer is OK with the procedure and understands that his house will be disconnected.

They do this because the typical household is adversely effected by an outage. Clocks , security, heating/cooling may require attention by the owner immediatly upon resoration of service.

It could be that your contractor goofed. If you walked into the Electric Co ready to kill them for your contractor’s mistake then it probably went downhill from there.

I’m not saying this happened, just throwing out the possibility.
I agree with your criticism of their engineer’s recent performance. Whether your anger was right or wrong he should still follow up in a timely manner. Looks like he’s holding a grudge which is a “no class” move on his part.

Bubba
…and, yes, I work in the utility industry. Hence my view of the situation.

5

BubbaDog,

I understand.

My contractor had full athority to do this, and explained what was going on. PS scheduled the disconect and never asked for any other information. As far as I and my contractor new, it was a done deal.

Nope, not at all. I made a plan on CAD, took and printed out pictures of the site and everything went smooth. I did not take an attitude with me. Smiles and handshakes. You get more flies with honey than viniger.

But, when I left, the engineer said “don’t do it again” when in fact it was PS that was in error. They never told me or my contractor that they needed more info. PS scheduled the job. Fucked up, then the engineer blamed me. I did not realize what he ment by that comment until I got in my car. Again, it was all smiles and handshakes while I talked to the engineer.

I didn’t say a thing about the “don’t do it again comment.”

And in fact, this is the second move for this meter. I had it moved the first time to get the wires out of the way for excavation. Now, I’m just trying to get it to its permenent position. There where no issues like this with the first move. PS was on time and did their job.

And to say again. I never got in any way mad or upset at the engineer as PS. The job was scheduled (by Public Service) to be done on Oct. 28th. On that day, the 28th, PS asked for more information. I took it too them (plans, and even pictures of the site, everything).

The engineer then told me that they probably could not do it that week. It would have to be the week of November 2. We have called 3 times, and he has not returned a call.

This is maybe 2 hours of work. Three - 00 splices for PS. And a total of 30 feet of 00 wire. Everything is ready except PS.

Anyway, it’ll get done. I just don’t like being left in the dark by PS. And to have them blame me for their error.

And, my electrician manages all the residential work for the company. It is probably the biggest company in the County. He does all the organizing and planning for these jobs. He knows how this is supposed to work. He came himself to do this job (a 45 minute drive one way), because there was no need to get a crew. I trust him. He helped me plan this project and made some very good recommendations. He knows his shit.

ehhh.

Mistakes happen. PS made this one. I would just like them to return my calls and let me know what’s up.

6

enipla
You didn’t give your location and there are a lot of electric companies that call themselves “Public Service.” Public Service of Colorado is my first guess.

If your “Public Services” is an investor owned utility then they are usually regulated by a state board (PUC or PSC for Public Utility Commission or Public Service Commission.). The state utility commissions are feared by the electric co’s. If you can’t get this guy to respond, threaten him with a complaint to his PUC/PSC. He won’t want to deal with the hot water from the board or from his own management for generating a complaint.

Good Luck,
Bubba

7

When I first read ‘Public Service’ I thought of PSE&G from New Jersey.

Any time I’ve had to move a meter or significantly alter the point of service to a dwelling or business, I’ve had to fill out a Service & Meter Relocation plan, which is then approved by the power utility. IMHO this should have been handled by the electrical contractor, and should have never gotten you involved, other than agreement about a new final point of metering.

8

BubbaDog

Yep, I could call the PUC. But it isn’t there. Yet.

I know these folks, sort of. Public Service that is. They call me, or the guys that work for me for address information for all new services. We are GIS (Geographic Information Systems.). We assign new addresses right then, or CALL THEM BACK.

You cannot get a new service unless it goes through my department. Because the County assigns the address for the service.

I know how it works. I’ve been doing it for eleven years.

We bend over backwards for them.

I agree. We moved the meter once. No problem.

. Fine. Cool. Ask me and I will. PS told us they where going to be here. No mention or a meter relocation plan. I can’t read minds.

They told us they would be here. I had no reason to think they would not come. They said everything was all set.

I was ready. So was my electrician. They screwed up. Simple.

Don’t mean to be so pissed off. Even in the PIT.

But when I screw up. I say —

Sorry,

This is what happend,

And most of all, I try to fix it.