Wanted to share a recent win with the group. Successfully disputed $47,000 in incorrect demand charges with Consolidated Edison. Client had a CT ratio error that went unnoticed for 18 months. Actual ratio was 1200:5 but billing was based on 800:5. Sometimes the simple errors are the biggest ones!
Demand charge dispute success story
Ian, it was actually the client who mentioned they had electrical work done about 2 years ago including meter upgrades. I always ask about recent electrical work during initial interviews. When I checked the service records against billing records, the CT ratio didn't match.
Howard, I'm curious about this too. ConEd's dispute process can vary depending on the amount involved. $47K is significant enough that it probably required multiple levels of review.
Howard and Lucy, the total process took about 4 months. ConEd did pay interest at their standard rate (currently 2.5% annually). The key was having the electrician provide documentation showing the actual CT installation date and specifications. Without that, it would have been much harder to prove.
Excellent work Brian. This is a good reminder for everyone to always verify CT ratios match between field installation and billing records, especially after any electrical work. Documentation from qualified electricians carries a lot of weight in disputes. Thanks for sharing the details.
Brian, that's a great catch! CT ratio errors can be huge money. How did you first identify the discrepancy? Was it from on-site inspection or something in the billing data that looked suspicious?
Smart approach Brian. I always review any recent electrical modifications. Utilities don't always update billing records promptly after equipment changes. ConEd is usually pretty good about corrections once you provide documentation though.
Gordon's right about ConEd being reasonable on corrections. Brian, did they pay interest on the refund? And how long did the dispute process take from filing to resolution?