SAN DIEGO — When it comes to outrage over these high bills, CBS 8 is as "Amped Up" as you are and we aren't letting this go, continuing to demand answers for you, until we get them. And if you’d like to give your feedback to SDG&E, you can do so by CLICKING HERE. If you’d like to file a complaint with CPUC, click here.
An Oceanside widow said she received sticker shock when she returned from visiting family in Europe over the holidays.
In November, she left for Vienna and was gone for six weeks and when she returned, she had a $115 SDG&E bill. That was after her 30% CARE discount.
“As they say in England, I was totally gobsmacked,” said Julie Bannon.
She lives alone in her 1,500-square-foot condo and conserves energy.
“I’m not using any power whatsoever ever. I use my dryer once a week which is on gas," she said.
Her SDG&E bill averages about $70 to $90 a month so when she received the $115 gas and electric bill she called SDG&E and was put on hold for 90 minutes.
“A surge on the 20th she said,” said Bannon.
But Ms. Bannon showed CBS 8 her airline tickets that shows she flew to Vienna on November 20th and came home on January 2nd.
After her initial conversation with the representative a week later an SDG&E technician went to Bannon’s home to check for any gas leaks. None were found and he told her the meter was working.
“He said, ‘it wasn’t spinning around so they read it electronically and they obviously read it wrong,’” said Bannon.
She said the technician told her he would make note of it in the report. She called SDG&E to follow up with the issue.
“He said somebody would call me and it would be three days and no one ever called,” said Bannon.
That’s when Ms. Bannon called CBS 8.
“They never owned up to anything. They were totally unhelpful,” said Bannon.
Again, SDG&E declined CBS 8’s request for an on-camera interview but told CBS 8 over the phone they apologize for Bannon not getting a call back in a timely manner. The spokesperson said they did not find any inaccuracies on their end rather she used 44 therms during her December bill which was up from 15 the month prior and higher than when she returned.
Utility companies use therms to measure a customer’s consumption.
SDG&E said the average customer used 31 therms in December.
“What person uses that amount of power? I just don’t. I just don’t,” said Bannon.
SDG&E said while she was gone her usage remained consistent with one to two therms a day so Bannon may have left something on.
But Bannon said she only left the refrigerator and one light on and her son and neighbor checked as well.
“Frustrating, stressful and you don’t know what to do next,” said Bannon.
Bannon wants to contest her bill but she doesn’t know how, CBS 8 will walk her through the process of how you can do it for free. We'll share that info with you too in an upcoming story
“Do they think I’m just going to take it?” said Bannon.
To learn more about SDG&E’s rate hikes and CBS 8’s Amped Up coverage click here.