Overbill overkill

A farmer was concerned about the high electricity bills he received for the first six months of 2014, even though his corn dryer – the machine on his farm using the highest amount of electricity – wasn’t in use. His bills were close to $9,000, including $843 in delivery charges on $112 worth of electricity.

A farmer was concerned about the high electricity bills he received for the first six months of 2014, even though his corn dryer – the machine on his farm using the highest amount of electricity – wasn’t in use. His bills were close to $9,000, including $843 in delivery charges on $112 worth of electricity. When he called Hydro One, he was offered a payment installment plan and was told that due to his previous high usage, he had to pay for a higher amount of hydro to be available on demand.

Ombudsman staff requested a review of the man’s bills and discovered that although his 2012 usage justified the higher-demand rates, his 2013 usage was actually much lower, and the charge was no longer applicable. He had been overbilled close to $6,000 in 2013. He was provided with the correct bills, as well as a service charge credit of $280.