Retroactive billing by electric company? Advice on auditing/understanding a meter reading?

Background: My average KWH usage is 600-800/month with a gradual increase during the summer. I receive a bill for my August usage, which seems abnormally high (1000 kwh). I notify my REP that I am moving on Sept. 15th, and on Sept. 22nd receive a bill for 1330 KWH for only 18 days of usage (9/02-9/20). (Double what I had used in entire months in the past).





Two days later, I receive four new bills modifying PAST bills: My June usage was retroactively doubled, my July and August usage was increased by barely 3%, and my Sept. usage was REDUCED by over 50%. The resulting balance is exactly, within two cents, what it was before the revisions. After calling the electric company, they tell me the meter was under-reading, and that is why they retroactively billed me. Oncor confirms that this is legal.





MY QUESTIONS:





1. If a meter is misreading, wouldn't the amount it is misreading by be consistent? As opposed to underreading by half one month and overreading by half the next?





2. Is it even possible to go back and decide what the correct usage *should have been* in a past month? If the meter just gives one reading, the current one, how can they tell that the meter under-read by 50% in June and 3% in July?





3. What is the average KWH usage for someone in a 600 sq. ft one bedroom whose only electricity uses are central air, fridge, one computer, and a few lights? (No TV, dishwasher, washer or dryer; gas heating and stove).





4. Have you ever heard of electric company scams where the meter-reading folk make up arbitrary readings based on past years'/neighbors usage? Do you think it's plausible that they planned for my Sept. usage to be high, and had to refund the amount after I told them I was leaving halfway through? And instead of refunding me, chose to distribute the amount among past bills, citing ';meter malfunction?';





5. To whom should I direct my complaint, my retail electric provider or Oncor, who does the actual readings?





6. If I ask them to ';prove it';, what am I essentially asking for? What do I need to ask for in order to verify their claims?





And lastly, yes, I do plan on taking my own meter readings every month in the future. Thanks in advance for your answers, if you have insight into even one of these questions I would greatly appreciate it. I live in near-downtown Dallas if that matters.Retroactive billing by electric company? Advice on auditing/understanding a meter reading?
I'll try and keep it simple for you. Anytime a utility co. bills for past usage on a meter they are claiming to be operating inaccurately is guess work.


A meter can be tested by proper testing equipment. They DO NOT have the ability to find a meter operating 50% slow one month then 3% slow another month. PURE GUESS WORK. A meter is required to operate within 2% of 100% accurate. When guessing a customers past unmetered usage we're trying to guess how much money to steal from the customer.


All meter testing has documentation. They have to prove their claim. They may have authority given to them from your state power board/commission but the commission would also require them to prove it with documentation. A meter operates consistently, even at 50% slow. If the meter is functioning erratically they cannot arbitrarily guess a KWH value to bill you. No commission will stand for this billing behavior. Report them if this is the case.


Since the billing department is your contact . They are the people to deal with. You don't need to prove you didn't use the electricity. They need to prove you used it with meter readings. Not guess work. They cannot use past customer useage for your address to prove consumption. That's an apples to oranges comparison.


Insist they have a meter technicians ';meter test report'; for them to prove their case. They must provide it. Make billing contact the metering department(They work for you.)


Good luck