A man from California unknowingly paid his neighbor’s electricity bill for at least 15 years. Can you imagine being in that situation? That is a great deal of money.
Ken Wilson, a resident of Vacaville in Solano County, located between Sacramento and San Francisco, had been diligently trying to save money on his electricity usage. Despite his efforts, his bill remained consistently and significantly higher than those of others in the area, according to a report by local news station KGO.
What happened to this man in California
The source of Wilson’s high electricity bill was particularly baffling because he lives alone in his apartment. In a bid to solve the mystery, he even purchased a device to measure the amount of electricity his appliances were consuming.
Frustrated by his inability to reduce his monthly electricity costs, Wilson finally lodged a complaint with his local electricity provider, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E).
It turned out that for over a decade, Wilson had been unknowingly paying for his neighbor’s electricity usage. This revelation came as a shock, but it also brought a sense of relief as the mystery was finally solved.
- Location: Vacaville, Solano County
- Time Span: At least 15 years
- Electricity Provider: Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E)
- Key Issue: Unusually high electricity bills
This cautionary tale serves as a reminder to regularly review your utility bills and ensure that everything is in order. You never know what you might uncover!
The company sent an inspector to investigate the cause of Wilson’s high electricity bill. Wilson suspected that a faulty meter or an undetected electrical leak might be the culprit.
Wilson’s Unexpected Discovery in California
“Even after turning off the switches, I kept going out to check the meter to see if it was still running, and it was. I couldn’t believe it,” Wilson told KGO.
A Shocking Revelation
To Wilson’s surprise, the PG&E inspector discovered that the meter issuing his bill was actually connected to one of his neighbor’s apartments, not his own.
Nearly Two Decades of Paying for His Neighbor’s Energy Usage
According to PG&E records, the error in the meter connection had been ongoing for at least 15 years.
“The meter number for the customer’s apartment was being billed to another apartment, possibly since 2009,” PG&E admitted in a statement sent to Wilson on Monday, in which they apologized for the confusion.
- Faulty Meter: Wilson suspected a defective meter was the cause.
- Electrical Leak: Another potential issue Wilson considered.
- PG&E Inspector: The inspector’s investigation revealed the true problem.
- Neighbor’s Apartment: The meter was connected to a different apartment.
- 15 Years: The error had persisted for nearly a decade and a half.