After 20 Years, Man Finds Out He Was Paying His Neighbour's Electricity Bill

A man in the US recently discovered that he had been unknowingly paying his neighbour’s electricity bill for nearly two decades. After noticing an unusually high electricity bill, the California resident, Ken Wilson, took steps to reduce his monthly expenses. That’s when Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) informed him that he had been paying the wrong bill. It turns out that, due to a meter mix-up, Wilson had been paying the power bill for unit 91 instead of his own unit 90, potentially since 2009.

Wilson told CBS station KOLD-TV that he realised something was wrong. He revealed to the publication that he had been making an effort to reduce his expenses and preserve power since it was becoming “really expensive.”

“I kept going outside to check my meter… and I couldn’t believe it.”

After visiting the PG&E website, Wilson—who has been in the same unit since 2006—could not figure out why his charge was so high.

He informed KOLD that “something wasn’t right” and that he believed there to be either a leak, someone stealing his power or a malfunctioning meter.

In an interview with CBS station KOVR, Wilson stated that he is currently feeling “powerless” due to his inability to regulate his own meter.

PG&E “sincerely apologised” for the error and regretted any trouble this problem may have caused, according to a statement they provided to the station to the publication.

In a statement provided to ABC News, PG&E acknowledged its mistake and reaffirmed that it is “committed to rectifying the situation with the customer.”

The PG&E representative provided an update to ABC News, stating that Wilson’s meter had been fixed so he would only be liable for paying his half of the power bill and that the firm has credited his account with more than $600.

Wilson told KOVR, “I just hope that this story is going to help others, I can be the only one.”

Wilson was notified by PG&E that his power bill would be adjusted during his subsequent billing cycle, according to KOVR.

In addition, PG&E advised other consumers who are concerned about their consumption and billing to double-check their meter by matching the ID number on the power panel with the one displayed on their monthly bill.