Amir here from Memphis. MLGW's meter reading system is an absolute disaster. They're using some hybrid of drive-by electronic readers and manual readings, but half the time the electronic readers don't work and they fall back on estimates. I've got industrial clients getting estimated bills for 2-3 months at a time on Schedule GSA accounts. When the true-ups come, we're seeing $15,000-20,000 swings. The billing department acts like this is normal. Anyone else dealing with municipal utility incompetence at this level?
MLGW meter reading technology is a joke
Randy here, also Memphis. MLGW has been struggling with this for years. The problem is they're trying to upgrade piecemeal instead of doing a complete system overhaul. Some meters have AMR technology, others are still manual, and the billing system can't handle the inconsistency. I've found success demanding monthly actual readings and threatening regulatory complaints when they can't deliver. The Tennessee Regulatory Authority has been putting pressure on them lately.
Darrell from Jackson - Entergy Mississippi has similar issues but not nearly as bad as what you're describing. The $15,000-20,000 swings are insane for commercial accounts. Are these primarily demand-related errors or energy consumption errors? With that kind of money at stake, MLGW should be prioritizing accurate readings for large commercial customers.
Darrell, it's mostly demand charges getting screwed up. Their estimation algorithm uses peak demand from the same month last year, but doesn't account for load changes or seasonal variations. So a manufacturing client that reduced their peak load by installing efficient equipment still gets billed for the old demand level for months. The energy charges are usually closer, but still inflated.
Alabama Power used to have this exact problem in Huntsville before they went full AMI. The demand estimation issue is the worst part because those charges are so high. Albert here - have you tried getting MLGW to flag high-demand accounts for manual reading priority? Most utilities will accommodate that request for accounts over a certain kW threshold.
Duane from Oregon - Pacific Power went through growing pains with their meter upgrade too. The key was getting them to commit to maximum estimation periods in writing. Maybe push MLGW for a formal policy that limits estimates to 60 days maximum for commercial accounts? Without that kind of accountability, they'll keep using estimates as a crutch.
Duane makes a good point about formal policies. I've been working with other auditors here to document MLGW's estimation problems and present them to the Memphis City Council. As a municipal utility, they're more responsive to political pressure than regulatory complaints. We need to make this a public issue and force them to fix their systems.
Claudia from Pittsburgh - municipal utilities can be the worst because they often lack proper oversight. Have you considered organizing affected businesses to attend city council meetings? When multiple commercial customers complain about the same billing issues, elected officials usually take notice. The bad publicity alone might motivate MLGW to prioritize meter reading accuracy.
That's exactly what we're planning, Claudia. I've got 8 commercial clients willing to speak at the next council meeting about how MLGW's billing errors are hurting their cash flow. When they hear about $20,000 billing swings from estimation errors, that gets their attention real quick. The local business chamber is also getting involved.
Helen from Little Rock - Entergy Arkansas had to appear before our city council about billing issues last year. The public scrutiny forced them to hire more meter readers and upgrade their estimation software. Sometimes political pressure works better than regulatory complaints with these utilities. Keep us posted on how the council meeting goes, Amir.
This whole thread shows why we need better oversight of municipal utilities. Duke Energy here in Cincinnati has problems, but nothing like the systematic estimation abuse you're describing. Amir and Randy, your political approach might be the only solution when regulatory options are limited. Good luck with the city council.
Juan from New Orleans - Entergy New Orleans is also municipal and they respond much better to city council pressure than regulatory complaints. The key is getting media coverage of the council meeting. When the local news covers billing errors and business impacts, utilities suddenly find money for system upgrades. Make sure you have specific dollar amounts and client names ready to share.
Update: Presented to the Memphis City Council yesterday with 6 business owners. Total documented overcharges from estimation errors: $127,000 over 18 months. Council members were visibly upset and directed MLGW to report back in 30 days with a plan to fix their meter reading problems. Local news covered it and now MLGW's customer service director wants to meet with us. Political pressure works!
Outstanding work, Amir! $127,000 in documented overcharges - that's the kind of hard data that gets results. This should be a model for other cities dealing with municipal utility billing problems. When utilities face public accountability, they suddenly find solutions they claimed were impossible. Excellent advocacy for your clients and the Memphis business community.