Joe,
These photos I sent you are proof that something is going on with Delmarva Power. We have many rentals with electric service provided by Delmarva Power. Each month for the past 10 months we've found at least one error in their meter readings that are never in our favor. In fact, they are between $30.00 and $90.00 in their favor each time. Every month we read our own meters and compare them to what they are posting as the "actual" readings. Every time we have to contact them and speak with someone who has a difficult time believing that the meters were not read accurately. This time I said "no more" I'm gonna get them some "attention" on Sbynews. Mind you not every meter is read incorrectly every month, but each month at least one meter is read incorrectly which would have cost more than it would have had we not been checking up on them.
As you see in the picture of the meter, the reading is 85733. The electricity had not been used at all last month since there was a problem at the mast head and the power had been disconnected at the pole. They submitted a reading of 86337. The net power alleged to have been used was 604 kWh.
Total Bill: $91.14. From that you subtract the customer charge of $6.00 that everyone pays whether you use electricity or not and you have an overcharge of $85.14. Imagine that's 1 out of every 18 houses where the meter was "misread" yielding an average of $50.00 each. Who wins? Delmarva Power and of course the government due to all the taxes. Who loses? We all do.
96 comments:
That's why I kind of like that with Choptank Co-op, the customer actually reads his own meter each month.
I called one time, about 8 years ago, because my bill was over $1,000. The meter reading on the bill was pretty much in line with the actual meter when I compared it. The problem was that for the prior 5 months the meter reader had been "estimating" my meter reading. So when they actually decided to "read" the meter there were a lot of kWh to be made up for. When I asked why they were allowed to "estimate" readings the response I got was "Just because they are allowed to."
I am really glad to see this post Joe. I have contacted Delmarva Power numerous times over the last 4 years because my bill is outrageously high and it makes no sense to me. I was told the reason my bill is high is because of my heating source, but when I explain that I keep my thermostat at 67 degrees in the winter and 78 in the summer it makes no sense for the bill to be that high the various customer service reps I have spoken to over the years act like I am lying! My bill this month is $430.95. I live in a 1244 sq ft rancher, there is no way our electric bill should be that high.
When I have requested Delmarva Power send someone out to check my meter to see if maybe there is a malfunction they refuse to do so. When the guy comes to read the meter he never, NEVER, gets out of the truck to do so. He sits in the truck on the road and uses binoculars to view the meter.
As the originator of the message states we are losing. I cannot afford a $430 electric bill but at the same time I cannot afford to not heat my house, I have kids to keep safe and warm. It is very frustrating, if I had the money to pay someone I would have a woodstove installed to cut costs but thanks to $400 a month electric bills I have a woodstove on my deck but cannot have it installed! It is so frustrating especially when Delmarva Power refuses to admit there is a problem on their side of this situation.
yea my electric bill was close to $500.00 and it's usually in the $100.00 range whats going on....
Our bill was almost $400 and there is no way it should be that much but year after year after year, the bill we receive after Christmas is like this.
9:20 you could be running on some back-up strip heaters if you have a heatpump & dryers with faulty heaters can run your bill threw the roof. Sometimes the dryer vents under the house are not secured properly and they condinsate creating a water trap in the flex vent, this is dangerous and can affect the dryer heater as well.
thats nothing i have had delmarva power estimate my usage for a whole year in 08 then in 09 they did an actual reading and i got a bill for over $2000 yes $2000 and needless to say i did not have that kind of money so it was shut off until i had it. They did not care that it was the month of february nor that i had a 1 year old and a 7 year old it was May 12th that i could get it back on
they are a joke and surely there needs to be another option
I worked for Delmarva Power for several years. They will not send someone out to check for a malfunction in your meter because when meters break or malfunction they generally slow down, not speed up. They test so many meters a year through an independant testing company and in all the years I was there never once did a meter which tested "bad" record extra KWh they all recorded less.
As far as estimated readings there are numerous reasons why a meter reader may estimate. If your meter is in a hard to reach spot (i.e. you have somehow blocked or covered it), there is a dog or other loose animal in the yard, the meter is in a locked area that the meter reader does not have access too, etc... When an estimate occurs it will generally say so on the bill next to the KWh section. It is very easy to correct this by going out and reading your own meter and calling that reading in to Delmarva Power.
In the case of an erronous reading the bill will correct itself the following month when a correct reading is done. People make mistakes, meter readers are out reading meters in the freezing cold, rain, wind and so forth; they are not perfect. If you feel your meter reader is constantly misreading your meter then make a point to read your own meter on the same day that he comes each month.
9:34 thanks for the input. My brother in law owns a HVAC business so I had him come check everything out and he said everything is working fine. I bought a new dryer last year, supposedly energy efficient, but I guess anyone can slap a label on something!
Trying to find some reason for the bills, I watched my meter one day while the heating unit was off and then watched the meter after the heat had kicked on and it barely increased in speed, so I was left scratching my head. However there have been times I go out just for kicks and giggles to see how the meter is spinning and it is zipping around like a merry go round, the odd part in that I am running NO heat or AC so what's the deal??? I swear the street lights are tied into my electric supply!! Something does not make sense, but like I said Delmarva will not come check it to see whats going on.
If you see "estimated reading" on your bill, call Delmarva Power and DEMAND an actual reading.
You do NOT have to accept the "estimated" reading.
It's a gimmick to make them more money at the higher rates.
You don't usually see them when the usage is not during a "peek" season.
Every time I hear their commercial trying to explain why your bill may say estimated, it ticks me off!
That's the other way they get you too is put off your reading for a number of days so there's more days in that billing cycle. You don't think anything of it because it's more days, wrong!
Last summer i had a broken meter and was sent a $6.oo bill for three months in a row before I called and had them come out. Don't you think the meter reader would have realized something was not right.
Wasn't there a woman last year or maybe the year before last that shut off the main breaker to her house and lived with her parents for a full month to see if she received a bill and indeed Delmarva power charged her a few hundred dollars? I recall hearing about that but once she came forward to bring it to the publics attention I recall she wasn't in the media any more, what ever happened with that? Does any one know? I am interested because from the way things went down it seems Delmarva privately admitted fault to her and maybe compensated her to hush hush???
our bill went from $114 last month to $593 this month. now way should it be that high.
take a look at the contributions to your maryland state senators and legislators. I was amazed at the level of giving to them by the power companies! no wonder they voted for de-regulation. there is no incentive for DPL to have you cut usuage. hence just recently they offered rebates on more energy efficient appliances. thought those rebates are next to nothing! want a change demand it in the voting booth! wasn't o'malley supposed to address this issue? this is what happens when democrats run things! we should all be used to getting screwed by now! would be nice though to get the occasional kiss!
9:44 you have to look at the water heater then. Most heatpumps have a 30,60,90 minute defrost selector pin inside the outdoor unit make sure that it is set on the 90 minute setting so as the defrost(in winter) will only engage every 90 minutes hence keeping your back-up electric resistance heaters off as long as possible. Also if you have a lift pump on your septic system check to make sure the pump float isnt stuck allowing the pump to non-stop run.
Mine is usually $260.00. My current bill is $393.00! How? Out of that month I was away for 2 weeks.
hello everyone,I had you problems with thw estimated billing,lame excuses from Delmarva also. I made several attemps to blast them when i got estimates when there was no logical reason to. I raised hell and just got lame excuses ie: Vacations etc. Finally i got smart and had them change the meter to the new ones with computer input and they dont have to get in my backyard.Just close enough to program my address in and the rest done by computer.Then one time later i got an estimated bill. I called and they said they had no one available. I said BS send a supervisor out to cover and raised a lotta hell. Been 3/4 yrs now and havent had that problem again. good luck.
They have read the meter incorrectly many times. I have called and took my own reading while they were on the phone. You are right , they always read in their favor! Maybe it's the idiots reading the meter , maybe a 6th grade education!
Delmarva power sucks I wish we had an alternative . I would love to get off the grid all together ! BASTARDS !
Yep, for a period of time my bill was "misread" every other month. When I get a bill that is not in line with the norm, the first thing i do is check the meter reading. Yes, everyone is entitled to a "mistake" every now and then, but when it happens over and over to the same person one has to wonder. My meter is not obstructed in any way. It irks me, even tho it gets corrected the next month, because in essence they have received money before the service was given. That pi$$es me off. When I called to complain, the people you complain to were like contractual people, not even dpl people if I remember correctly.
I am so tired of being at the mercy of big government, big business etc. etc.
Someone needs new glasses.
this has happened to my Husband and I quite a few times with Delmarva Power. The reading on our bill has been thousands off from the true reading. Even days after the reading. I am not sure if they have blind meter readers that just don't care. Or if all of them are just simply glancing at the meter and guessing where it is???
We have called them 4 times in the past 6 months because of this.
I have a 900 sft house with baseboard heat and I normally have bills anywhere from $200 on down and I just got a bill for $327.00. During that service period I wasn't even home for a week and a half. Everytime I call I get a different excuse and a different run around. I work in the customer service field and I know that the people I talk to are trained like robots to lie to the customer and make it seem like it was sooo cold and that caused the spike in the bill. That strange thing is that it's not just me, I have heard from several people and now on this site that everyones bill went through the roof. Sounds like we all need to get jobs at Delmarva Power. Do I have any other options?? Buying out elect from another company?? I have heard if I buy from choptank I still may have to pay delmarva a fee.
Thanks to the conservative appointees in the Supreme Court Delmarva Power and the like will have an even easier time pimping their preferred candidates at the expense of the citizen. Good going!
9:44 - that's happened to me to...everything in the house pretty much off and the thing is spinning out of control...other times its slow... I managed to get DPL out once to check it and they said there wasn't a problem...funny though when I tapped the meter cover with my hand the thing slowed down to nothing again...!
I have an unoccupied house that has the heat set at 60 degrees, no water heater on, nothing except GAS heat, which requires the fan part of it to use electricity. The last bill was $510. When I called they offered to send someone out. This revised the bill to $36. What kind of scam are they running? What if I'd just paid it?
Don't accept an unusually high bill. Make the bastards come and read the meter again, at the very least.
Thats incredable 11:25.
They will be on here with an update real soon I bet ya.
You want to know the best part? Those UNION meter readers make $50,000 PLUS a year. They love their great vacation leave and their huge bak of sick leave. Oh, and they have electronic readers and ride around in vehicles all day. Now you know how to get back some of you money. Go to work as a meter reader!
One question that stands out is Why would the meter reader even do this? He would not benefit from this only the company would.
I will certainly be checking my meter now, but something does not add up?
11:06 because things have been so great under the socialist party ? I think not !
I am a single dad and my bill all last winter was over $400 a month. I just got my electric bill and it was almost $800 and yes I am a single dad. Although I have electric heat I was extremely conservative making the temp several degrees lower. I even insulated much better this year and eliminated all drafts. I think energy deregulation is breaking this country. Please vote republican and oust all of the incumbents this year.
Mine was almost $500 this month too, compared to $200 something last month! They charge you what they want. What I love is they send that high of a bill and then include a neighbor energy fund envelope so you can send them more money!
Have you all been on a tropical vacation for the last 2 months don't you realize the drop in temperature is going to make the bills go up?? It's not the Christmas lights, its the 20 degree temperatures when your heat is running practically nonstop.
If I remember correctly I think we have had snow 2 or 3 times since December 1 too
Lets not forget that we just went through one of the coldest periods in quite a few years. I too have a $497.00 Electric Bill compared to $247.00 last month. Its outrageous and there needs to be competition.
You would be amazed how much overtime DP&L pays!
Something must be done about this. I also have had the same problems in reference to meter readings. I have met several of Delmarva Power Co. readers and found them to be not the sharpest tools in the shed.
For all of you DP&L apologists take a look at your bill . Look at the usage charge and then look at your total it cost more to bring it to you than you use !
actually anon 2:16 the distribution charge (delivery) is way less than the supply charge -- distribution is 3 cents per kwh on my bill and supply is 11 cents per kwh
hmm and I thought Choptank rates were supposed to be lower than Delmarva Power's but my Choptank bill shows delivery charges 4 cents per kwh and supply charges 11 cents per kwh on my January bill
If you want to figure out what is burning most of your electricity turn off all your breakers and then look at your meter tomake sure it is not moving. Then switch one on at a time and look at the speed of the meter. That will then let you at least know which circuit is using the most. If you do not know what is on that circuit, walk around the house and find out.
At a point with an older appliance, a/c or other device it may save you money to replace it with a newer one to that will use less electricity. It may take a year to reach the savings but it will save. Good luck.
Those photo's are mine. I sent them to Joe after being totally sick of the bullsh*t. I thought that perhaps some people would comment and maybe go out and check their meters. I NEVER expected to get a call from DPL. The photo I provided showed my meter number which made it easy for them to locate my name and phone number. DPL called to say they wanted to make contact with me in order to adjust the meter readings and associated electric bill. My wife is on the phone with them as we speak. I just heard her tell DPL that in order to read so many meters incorrectly the reader must be smoking CRACK!
I would say to you all....look at your bill. Make note of the day of the month on which your meter is read. Check you meter each month on the same day they are supposed to come out and read it. It takes the same amount of time it does to check your mail. Compare the meter readings when you get your bill. If there is a difference, call them and demand they make it right. And E-mail Joe so that he can make a post out of it. It could save you hundreds! If we document this and notice that this is a ridiculously common occurrence, we can get the State to look into how DPL does business.
OK.....my wife just got off the phone with DPL. So far there are 4 meters with inaccurate readings. One was actually in our favor. The remaining 3 were in their favor. One of those in their favor yielded a $210.00 overcharge!!! WTF?!?!
Joe....know this. DPL definitely looks at your blog. They called us before we had a chance to call them about this incident. When we returned their call, we did not have to give them the account number - they had it already from the meter number they got from the blog.
You have got to pay it, what else can you do? There is no one else to provide electric in our area, we have gas hot water heater, gas stove and gas heat, every month our electric is over 300.00 plus we are paying for our propane, about 200.-250. a month, we just cant win EVER!!!!!!!
1:03 your right. It has been cold. But there is no excuse for such a high number of incorrect meter readings. It is either intentional or the person reading the meters doesn't give a sh*t about the kind of job he does. Just think about how many people don't check their meters to see if the number is correct. Think about how easy it would be to scam millions from customers and they'd never know. HMMM
Meter Reading aside, I thought 10.73 KWH was high until I checked out the national avg is 11.76 KWH. Be glad you don't live in Connecticut where its 20.78 KWH avg., and they are alot colder than us.
Check out this site for avg's:
http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/epm/table5_6_a.html
I for one after this last bill am going through double checking to see how energy efficient my house really is. I have a feeling my outside units were defrosting more than usual, I saw the meter once while one was doing it, that thing has never spun that fast before.
Maybe if enough people kick and scream they will switch to electronic meter reading which will eliminate this issue. The technology has been around for years, but DP&L is going to milk old meters for as long as they can to keep profits up.
Someone from DP&L print this out and give this to the proper person please.
Blurb from City of Vicksburg, Mississippi who has been using it for years:
http://web.vicksburg.org/Vicksburg/default.aspx?tabid=93
They just ride down the street I live on and I have never ever seen anyone get out of the truck. I have called and told them this a couple of times and they must be firing them or moving them to a new area. It's never the same person the next month.
I am an electrical contractor and our meter reading is wrong every two to three months. We keep a close eye on Delmarva Power because of that. I also installed my own meter because I thought their meter was not reading correctly however it is always the same as mine. That is provided the lazy crack head reading the meter reads it correctly. The reader backs in our drive way and never gets out of the truck because the meter is on the driveway side of the house. We follow our bill and know when they are supposed to read it and we read it that day as well. I am in no way saying the power company is right because they bear watching closely. However to save money on your electric bill there are some simple steps you can take to do so. Delmarva Power has some pointers on their web site and there are a host of other places you can visit on the web to learn how to save on power bills. Believe on thing though folks your energy bills are not going to get cheaper so the best thing to do is learn how to save by decreasing usage.
Delmarva Power is going to electronic metering in Delaware right now - hopefully Maryland will follow. Then none of us will have to worry about meter reader mistakes.
Our bill doubled this past month. This was shocking because our usage has always been minimal. My husband and I check it every morning & night. It flies by. We both work 10 hours a day and we checked under our house, our attic, our windows, our dryer, our fridge. Everything is well insulated and we keep our heat at 62 degrees. I even unplug everything the computer and TV when they're not in use. We cannot decrease our usage without not using any lights or turning our heat down to 50. How can our meter still fly? Everytime we call Delmarva Power they say it's because it's cold outside and we had snowfall. What??!!!
The real issue here is the electric cost is way to high ! These idiots on here must be DP&L plants because anybody who would make excuses for these rapists has got to be crazy !Three years ago they doubled the cost my usage certainly didn't go up and they have raised it at least twice since WAKE UP PEOPLE COMPLAIN OR GO BROKE !!!
Just got my bill today. It was only $109. Way too low so I went out and looked at the meter and it was 1500kwh higher than when they read it 3 days ago. No way i used that much in 3 days and only 780 for the last 33 days.
So I called and they adjusted it. Its so sad that you have to be a super watch dog for everything in life now. Is it impossible to get good workers?
They should just go the the read your own meter system like Choptank and dump all the crack head meter readers
DP&L are crooks !
I've called and my husband called 3times because in one night the meter we used 300kw. DP refuses to send someone out and says were just using a lot of power. Our heat is now set at 58, were freezing and DP still won't look into the problem. They just refuse to make any adjustements or come out.
I had the same problem out at my beach townhouse. It was unoccupied and my monthly bills doubled. So I wound up owing them about $1200. We argued about the meter and they insisted it would never read faster if broken. I checked the unit next door that had a new meter and was occupied. Their meter was running really slow and mine was spinning about 4 times as fast.I fought with them for three months, but got nowhere and gave up. Now I have a ventless natural gas fireplace here in Salisbury and I've shut off my heatpump entirely and my electric bill was $85 this past bill.The house is warmer now too.
I qualified for energy assistance this year because I was laid off, The state helped me with my bill but I noticed after making a payment to Delmarva Power on my behalf the account mysteriously increased $273 within a 3 day time frame without the meter being read during those three days. When I called to find out how it was possible I owed more than I did before a payment was made the woman told me I was misunderstanding the numbers, granted I am not a genious but I can handle simple math! I am not blaming the employees, but I most definitely believe Delmarva Power is milking a lot more than they are entitled to.
The orginally poster said Delmarva Power contacted them with offers to correct the wrongs, does this mean they are attempting to hush hush another person that has called them on the crooked practices? Maybe I should come forward to in hopes they will stop screwing me around.
Hey Delmarva Power! I know you're reading this post. I WILL be checking my meter EVERY MONTH now! You're not going to get away with that crap with me! One less household that you're going to screw!
delmarva power is the worst. POINT BLANK
I also have a $440 electric bill from last month, but I don't question its accuracy. Yes, the kwh usage is somewhat higher than usual, but we had a dreadfully cold month of December. When it's cold, the water heater works harder, the dryer works harder and the electric heat just keeps on going.
Don't forget, we are paying more than we would need to be paying now if the utilities had been allowed to charge what they should have been in that period from 1999-2004.
I see the meter reader every month - she drives up the driveway, hops out of the truck, goes behind the garage to read the meter and usually waves to me and the dog on her way back in the truck.
The only technology that I can see that can alleviate even higher electric rates is nuclear, and the US had not seen a nuclear power plant approved for almost 30 years.
My meter reader made a $138 mistake for November. They sent him out and a credit appeared on my next bill. It is their fault most of the time. It was listed as an actual read.
Mine doubled too this month, but it was a lot colder. Thing is, for every dollar of electric, there's 150 dollars shipping and handling!
Can anyone say rape?
I love my fireplace/woodstove, clothesline, amish drying rack, and candles.
With that being said, Bloody Mary time.
I thought we were supposed to be able to get our electric supplied by another provider if we wanted. I've seen it advertised and there are even websites about it that show the different companies rates to compare. Choptank was on that list, but when I looked into it, they said you have to live in an area that is currently served by them. Doesn't make sense since just a few miles away people have Choptank Electric.
notify the maryland public service commission.
www.psc.state.md.us/
DPL is as bad as comcast!! It's time for competition around here!
We received our electric bill from Delmarva Power today...I just opened it.
It DOUBLED from last month! They're saying we used 3280 kwh.
There is NO way! It's just two of us here in the house and we only use lights in the rooms where we are, nothing really changed much over the last month.
Our heat is NOT electric, it's oil!
I went out and looked at our meter. It doesn't have the dial on it that spins but it shows we've already used 261 kwh since Jan. 19th.! That is not possible!
What the hello is going on?!
I absolutley hate Delmarva Power!!! They screw you going and coming! Every customer service agent they have working for them that I have ever spoken with is a jackass!!! Whenever we lose electricity they have no problem telling us they have no idea how long it will take to get the electric turned back on. But they don't have any problems calling the average working person trying to make ends meat threatening to disconnect your electric. When you call and ask for help....their response was "call and ask for the energy assistance" in MD. What a joke! If you actually work and make above a certain amount you don't quailfy anyway. My bill last month was $450.00 and this month jumped to $611.00. That's absolutely crazy because it's still cold in my house! I have turned the heat down, stopped using my dryer and gone back to hanging clothes out on the line in the middle of winter! Everytime one of the goofy meter readers come in my yard they don't even come around to the back of the house. They stop to the corner and have some gadget in their hand and point it to the meter! They should not be allowed on our property unless the owners are home and can actually accompany them in reading the meter! I think Delmarva Power is getting rich off of us!
How's "Cap & Trade" going to work for you Folks. Do tell those wet pants liberals what your thoughts are on that while you're at it.
My grandmother passed away in June. We still have her home because the family isn't ready to let it go yet. We got her electric bill this week and could've passed out! Now the house is a small rancher with no one living there at present. We leave only one light on a timer and the heat turned up just enough so things won't freeze and her bill was $400 freakin dollars! Are they crazy? So next week we'll spend another hour being put on hold and passed around from one person to another from DP that doesn't know their ass from a hole in the ground trying to find out why it's so high!
Our bill went from 107 last month to 374 this month. We have a 1100 sq. ft house and I only heat the living room n 2 of the bedrooms. Something just doesnt add up with Delmarva Power...I think they are ripping people off. Theres no way a bill should triple when the same amount of heat was used as the previous month. This is so frustrating..but they won't do anything but give 100 excuses why they are right!
Hey Obama give up on health care and take over the crooked power company I'm sure it would help your image and poll numbers !
I have had 4 misreads this year from them as well, all for over a hundred dollars in their favor. These were also "actual reads". This month my bill jumped over 500.(it was 188. last month)
Someone needs to investigate these crooks!
We're in Florida for the winter and have the heat in our 1100 sq. ft. home set at 45 degrees. Last month's bill was $175. We had our neighbor double check our settings and they are indeed set at 45 degrees. We expected it to be a little more this year because of the cold winter, but didn't expect it would cost that much!! Our house is well insulated with thermal pane windows and a new roof. I believe our highest bill last year was just over $100.
DP&L has to pay for all those union employees and their pensions! Legacy costs just like the auto industry!
Interesting that Delmarva Power employees are reading your blog and who knows what else they are doing when they should be working. Now I understand where my money goes.
9:46...Delamrva Power can estimate....by law.
Just wanted to add that the comment about new appliances is good advice.We replaced our 20+ year old electric range with a new one last year and it made a significant dent in our power bill every month.And thats just ONE appliance.Even if they still work well,older appliances are huge energy hogs!
" Anonymous said...
Interesting that Delmarva Power employees are reading your blog and who knows what else they are doing when they should be working. Now I understand where my money goes. "
Not to defend the DP employees, but I check this blog from work on my lunch break because I have dial up at home and it takes forever to get online, and Joe is my favorite source for news.
those guys journeyman not even the top lineman now,they make about 38 dollars an hour and bring home about $120,000 a year with overtime. they all have a couple houses and nice trucks while the rest of us suffer. wonder what the executives make there... im sure we dont want to know...
make sure everyone who doesn't like their bill contacts omalley and your local state reps. let them know they had their chance to rectify this situation and haven't, then i suggest voting for someone new who actually might do something about it!
I remeber when DPL spent millions to change the name of their company only to later spend millions more to change the name back to DPL.
Until Delmarva Power has some competition, you will continue to be screwed. Let's get some competiton in this area.
And for all those readings that are in the power companies favor---they are getting our money before they provide the service.
But let you be late with your payment.
They are all crooks.
I guess all we can do is keep an eye on the meter reader and write your congressman and tell them to regulate these rapists !
Anon 10:52
Yes, they can issue you an "estimated" bill but if you call and demand an actual reading, they HAVE to provide it.
Next time read what somebody says before commenting.
I believe the rates have also increased dramatically due to customers who never pay their bills, and/or rely on the government to pay on the bill. The rates must increase to all of us "paying" customers so the company can recoup the "lost" money from the deadbeat nonpaying customers.
Don't pick on the linemen! They literally put their life on the line every time they work on the power lines, risking electrocution. Pay them what they deserve! Do you want to climb a poll and deal with live wires or owrrying about trying to fix something about 30 feet in the air during wind, rain, hail, snow, ice,etc.? Pay the linemen and cut back the salaries of the meter readers. Getting rid of 10 meter readers would potentially save DP about $500,000/year in salaries alone, not to mention the rising costs of health and other benefits. Let people read their own meters each month like the co-ops do or go electronic. But first, there needs to be legislation to override the power of the unions that won't allow DP to fire the meter readers or place them in other positions in the company at revised salaries. Otherwise, those meter readers will simply become highly paid call center employees or janitors, keeping the same outlandish salaries they have now as meter readers.
Our home is vacant.
Thermostat is at 55 degrees. Typically the bills are $40 to $100, based on outside temperature.
Last January when we lived their FULL TIME with temp at 70 degrees our bill was $360.
December 2009 bill... $90
Just got my Jan. 2010 bill... $499
For an empty house with a functioning heating system set at 55 degrees.
Joe,
I just Googled "delmarva power rates, estimated, -delmarva.com" and reached your news spot and these posts. I did such a Google because I have been so frustrated listening to my friend up in Harford County relating similar stories ... almost verbatim to those found above. Shouldn't this be a story in the main media? What is going on that people are having hundreds of dollars swindled from them every month and there is no consequence for this company? I would love to hear stories from those who have notified the maryland public service commission
www.psc.state.md.us/, their government representatives, or the main news media. What have been the results?
Well I would like to welcome myself to the club of being robbed by "DELMARVA POWER" I have had my meter read wrong and each time you call they always seem to switch it around to them being right! I recently moved trying to downsize Thinking not only will it save me money each month but will lower my electric bill THINK NOT I got my electric bill and It jumped all the way up to $400.00- $420.00 monthly more than what I would normally pay I called delamarva robbers and ask them why is my bill higher at this residence and they say they based my bill around the last person that used to reside at this house now how In the world can your bill now be based on what the previous tenants had to pay I am not them and am not using that much electricity!!! People I seriously wish that everyone speaks out and our voices are heard we are being robbed by delmarva power and Its not right but I can barely afford to buy others things that Is seriously needed for my children because of this one company and If i had another option and there was another electric company I could choose like i can choose my telephone provider i would definetly leave this company as I am sure they would loose alot of there customers but I have no other choice but until I can have my voice heard I will not stop until this company Is investigated!
Wow,i came across this while trying to find out why my power bill is so high.
I just received my new bill for 178$. The billing cycle was from March 17th until Apr 16th. The funny thing is I was on vacation from the 18th until the 9th and had the heat and everything else turned off. I was here for 8 days during that billing cycle and my bill is supposed to be $178???? My bill in August 2009 was less than that and that was with the AC running almost every day.
i hear that the employees will be on strike;so now the time to stop paying the bill.Now when i call customer service about a high bill or to trim trees that are on the lines or outages that last 24 hours[ when a few years ago only lasted a hour] they may here what i am saying. the new name i use for them is BP&l.
Happy New Year to Delmarva,
We just received our bill which ranges from $180-$250 through the year. Thanks so much for the $709.30 bill we received today. I don't understand how we used 5535kwh hours this month, when we weren't home for most of it. Also, thanks so much for deciding whether we should have heat,eat or pay the mortgage this month. It is so cold in here, that I was having problems making that decision!!
Delmarva Power does suck. I went to pay my bill at the office today only to find out that their machine that takes your money would not except all of my payment. It seems that one of my brand new one hundred dollar bills was not being excepted by the machine. I called customer service and a lady came down and after several attempts herself informed me that the machine was probable full. Then she advised me to go and break the one hundred dollar bill down into twenties and try again. Hey lady you just said the machine was full so how is going to take twenties. Seems to me you can't pay your bill even with cash if the payment machine is down. Delmarva power is being run by a bunch of mindless morons. They don't have to answer to anyone. Is it any wonder why everyone hates this company?
I have you all beat. I just got a letter saying sorry for the inconvenience but we didn't read your meter for OCT, NOV and DEC, we estimated it, so now you owe 1,377.00 in back power and another $728.00 this month. So yes if I could fire them I would, but they know they have you by the BALLS, you have to have power. They should be investigated for sucky service.
Yea they suck. My power always goes out anyway, maybe I just won't pay my bill since its out half the time anyway. The best part is when I call Delmarva power to report it and inquire about the outage, they say " they may be working or cutting the lines". Well thanks a lot for killing the power on this hot July day. Wish I could do that to them. Maybe illl plant poison ivy near my meter or get a few poisonous snakes to wait by my meter next month. I truly hate this company and they should be investigated. They ate shady. It's pretty much theft if u " estimate " a bill. I hate them almost as much as I hate Comcast. Ahh , I feel a lil better
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