New Yorkers...Sent Normal Electric Bills Despite Blackouts

[sheshe2]

Are these People Serious! These Greedy corrupt Ass-shats!

Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) customers in some of Hurricane Sandy's hardest hit areas were frustrated to receive normal electric bills this cycle--despite suffering through weeks without power.

The New York Post reports that Long Island residents were slammed with high bills for time spent in the dark. Although Newsday reports the charges will even out after the next meter reading, The Post said customers they spoke to claimed their statements made no mention of potential refunds.

Restaurant owner Jonathan Saporta was hit with both a $649 bill for the Long Beach home he left in October and a $281 bill for his new Great Neck home.

“I can’t get LIPA to acknowledge my existence on earth to talk to me about anything,” he told The Post. “But I guess they had power, so they could print my bills. Nice, right?”

This is only the latest publicity gaffe for the company, which took several weeks to restore power to many of its customers.

LIPA Chief Operating Officer Mike Hervey resigned in mid-November after harsh criticism was leveled over his company's handling of the superstorm, according to Reuters. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced an investigation into the state's utilities the same day as Hervey's resignation.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/25/lipa-customers-left-without-power-sent-normal-bills_n_2188209.html?utm_hp_ref=email_share

[MineralMan]

1. What was the billing period for those bills that were sent out?

I doubt they're for November energy use, but I'm not certain. It's an important question.

[sheshe2]

6. True.

However for example I just paid my electric based on meter readings on 10.05-11.09.
I am not saying all meters are read on the same dates. However their bill had to be based on some of their time in the dark.

[MineralMan]

7. Normally, the billing period is on the bill.

Your example is a good one. Since the meter was read on November 9, if you lived in the area hit by Sandy, it covered mostly the period before Sandy hit. So, it would have been a more or less normal bill, like the one you got a month before, or for the same billing period the previous year. Most energy bills are based on actual usage, unless you're on a fixed monthly billing arrangement.

[WinkyDink]

2. Not quite what it looks like.

[Renew Deal]

3. Those bills probably include gas.

Either that, or this guy is running an amusement park.

[sheshe2]

5. I recieve a separate bill for gas and electric.

Both services are prvided by the same company NStar.

[RandiFan1290]

4. It happened in Florida with FPL

We went over 2 weeks with no power and were looking forward to a little break on the electric bill. We got a notice that it was too dangerous to send the readers around so they were doing us the favor of basing it on the previous month's bill.

[uncle ray]

8. are their bills averaged to prevent seasonal spikes?

[Renew Deal]

9. I think that this is an optional service.

I don't think it costs extra.