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I've had one ConEd guy at my home, and one Smart Meter guy. The ConEd guy said the meter was running even though no electricity was on in my house, he inspected my entire home and said nothing he found would be pulling in lots of electricity. The downstairs apartment (I live upstairs) in the house is (or was) hooked up to the oil burner, and the hallway and basement lights, so the bill should be higher for the first floor apartment. I thought the original SmartMeter guy hooked my second floor up with the basement in error, but the ConEd guy checked that and said no, my meter is for the second floor, he commented that he was just at a house where the meters were switched to the wrong floors! The Con Ed guy said a SmartMeter guy would have to come and check it.
The SmartMeter guy came and checked the meter with equipment and said it was 99% accurate. I asked him what accounted for such a big increase in my bill and said he didn't know. He said the SmartMeters are more accurate than the old meters and Con Edison was losing money, that's why they got rid of the old meters. I asked him if I could opt out of the new meter now, and he said he didn't have any old meters to give me (there is a 10 dollar monthly charge to keep the old meter). I should have known better and opted out from the start. He suggested I get an electrician to determine where the power is pulling from to increase my bill? I was thinking why do I have to pay for an electrician for something your company installed?
Then he tells me to call a special Con Edison Customer Service department (I forgot the name, it was 3 weeks ago) to have an employee come to the house and check everything for free. I call ConEd and they tell me the free service is not for my problem, however, ConEd agreed to send another employee here to check it on Monday, 4/29, but I don't know what they are checking. Are they going to check my house again for power sources, the meter accuracy, the meter being accidentally switched to the wrong floor?
The ConEd guy said I didn't have to pay the bill until it's straightened out, it's already over $365.00 for a few months,but I did send them $200 so they don't turn off my electricity in error.
Bottom line is I have one guy saying the meter is running without electricity on and another guy saying the meter is accurate!
BTW, I just received one of those graphs from ConEd saying I use 200% more electricity than my neighbors. How can that be? I have a 1200 sq. Ft. Apt, with only two people living here!
If you or anyone else has any advice for me, I would love to hear it. What else can I say to the ConEd guy coming here Monday? I told the other ConEd guy that all three ConEd phone reps I spoke to said my usage has doubled (went from 350 kws. to 800 kws,). since the Smart Meter and it's not right.
I didn't post a follow-up sooner because I was waiting for the outcome to post it, but as you can see, I'm still waiting, sorry!
Did you try to shutdown your master breaker and see if the meter still running?
How many apartments in the building, are you able to observe your neighbor meters when you know for sure they are home and using electricity?
Do a bit more snooping around- and write everything down: your neighbor meter at 7 am, 7 pm every day as well as your meter- it may help to answer some questions and help the company guy
Did you try to shutdown your master breaker and see if the meter still running?
How many apartments in the building, are you able to observe your neighbor meters when you know for sure they are home and using electricity?
Do a bit more snooping around- and write everything down: your neighbor meter at 7 am, 7 pm every day as well as your meter- it may help to answer some questions and help the company guy
No, I didn't do any of the things you suggested, but I will. It's a two family house, 2 apartments and basement, the basement electricity is supposed to register on the first floor meter, not mine. Thanks for all responses!
I had to call the NY Public Service Commission. CONED will respond and work with you and the NYPSC to come to a resolution.
For me, the decision is either opt out or ignore them. The opt-out agreement says they can install a smart meter or move my meter if they cannot get access to it after 4 tries, which is seriously suspicious.
For me, the decision is either opt out or ignore them. The opt-out agreement says they can install a smart meter or move my meter if they cannot get access to it after 4 tries, which is seriously suspicious.
Google this article, Shocking electricity bills spark concern about smart meters in the Upstate, but Duke says they're accurate. (I don't know how to post links on my tablet). The article is on greenvilleonline.com.
Maybe there isn't anything I can do about it now if Con Ed says the meter is accurate, but I'll ask again if I can opt out and have my old meter back.
Con Ed guy just left, bottom line is my meter is for my floor, the Smart Meter guy says the meter is 99%. accurate, so that's it. My advice is to opt out if you can and pay the extra $10 monthly for a meter reader.
Not really sure what that $10 buys you. Meter readers are probably even less accurate at an aggregate level (in both directions). I know of a person who moved into a newly-built house in 2015. Electricity and Gas by ConEd. Due to an administrative screw up, the gas meter wasn't logged into their database. So, for three years, the meter reader(s) took readings from the electrical meter and ignored the gas meter which is literally next to the electrical meter. He basically got free natural gas for three years. The owner was oblivious to this, as he autopayed his ConEd bill and never really examined it closely.
An extended power outage, he expected that his whole house generator would really increase that month's bill. Instead, his bill went down (because he used no electricity during the power outage); he then looked at his other bills and figured out what happened. It took him a month to convince ConEd that they had been screwing this up.
My point is that meter readers can screw up too, so why pay $10?
Not really sure what that $10 buys you. Meter readers are probably even less accurate at an aggregate level (in both directions). I know of a person who moved into a newly-built house in 2015. Electricity and Gas by ConEd. Due to an administrative screw up, the gas meter wasn't logged into their database. So, for three years, the meter reader(s) took readings from the electrical meter and ignored the gas meter which is literally next to the electrical meter. He basically got free natural gas for three years. The owner was oblivious to this, as he autopayed his ConEd bill and never really examined it closely.
An extended power outage, he expected that his whole house generator would really increase that month's bill. Instead, his bill went down (because he used no electricity during the power outage); he then looked at his other bills and figured out what happened. It took him a month to convince ConEd that they had been screwing this up.
My point is that meter readers can screw up too, so why pay $10?
Read the thread. Smart meter installed. Electric bill goes up by 100-200%.
Read the thread. Smart meter installed. Electric bill goes up by 100-200%.
I did, and I understand that there was an issue with that installation. But my point is that this kind of thing happens to people even when ConEd changes the human meter reader.
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