Anyone else dealing with chronic estimation issues? I have a manufacturing client in Knoxville on TVA General Service rate and they haven't had an actual meter read in 8 months. The estimates are wildly off - we're talking $15,000+ overcharges based on their historical usage patterns. TVA keeps saying the meter is "inaccessible" but my client says nobody has even tried to read it. The meter is right next to their loading dock with clear access. What's my best approach here to force actual reads and get these bills corrected?
TVA keeps estimating my client's bill - 8 months straight!
Terry, I've seen this before with TVA. File a formal complaint with their customer service department and demand actual reads going forward. Also request a detailed explanation of why the meter was marked inaccessible. In Memphis we had a similar case where the meter reader was just being lazy - turned out he was marking meters as inaccessible to avoid walking an extra 50 yards. Get photos of the meter location to prove accessibility if needed.
Document everything! I had a case in Youngstown with FirstEnergy where 6 months of estimates led to a massive true-up bill that nearly bankrupted a small manufacturer. The key is proving the estimates were unreasonable based on historical data. Pull 2-3 years of usage history and show the deviation. TVA has to justify their estimation methodology under their tariff.
Check TVA's General Terms and Conditions section on estimated bills. They're required to make reasonable efforts to obtain actual reads. Eight months is excessive by any standard. I'd also look into whether this is affecting the demand billing - estimated demand charges can really add up on industrial accounts.
Walt from Pittsburgh here - had similar issues with Duquesne Light. The nuclear option is filing with the Tennessee Regulatory Authority if TVA doesn't respond. But usually threatening that gets their attention real quick. Make sure you're calculating interest on any overcharges too.
Update us when you get resolution Terry. This kind of stuff needs to be documented so we can all learn from it. Eight months of estimates is just unacceptable service from any utility.