Ashton Marra Published

Senator Calls on PSC to End Electric Bill Estimates

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Senate Majority Leader John Unger called for a change Thursday in the way a First Energy subsidiary is billing its customers.

Unger requested the state Public Service Commission order Potomac Edison to stop estimating electric bills for customers. Instead, he said the company should be reading the meters every month.

Complaints from Potomac Edison customers started rolling in last fall when PSC Commissioners held hearings in North Central and Eastern West Virginia. Customers complained of receiving estimated bills much higher than normal.

Unger also claimed the company is reporting missed or underpaid bills to credit bureaus, harming customers’ credit ratings.

Spokesman for First Energy Todd Meyers said both of their subsidiaries, Potomac Edison and Mon Power, are cooperating with the PSC on the investigation into their estimation practices.

He said the company is providing monthly metrics to the commission to track their progress on improving the system.

Meyers also said the company does not share any credit information on current or active customers.