Do Energy Companies (Reliant in Particular) Really Read Meters?

Yes, sometimes they estimate, but they will eventually get around to reading it, and send you an adjustment

 

No, the T&D companies - Centerpoint in the Houston area - read the meters and transmit them to the Supplier (Reliant, Gexa, Direct, etc.). Sometimes Centerpoint will estimate usage if they can't get to a meter (or have some other reason for not doing it).

Edit - it's not just a Centerpoint thing either... it happens with all utilities. Some are more notorious than others for using estimated readings for prolonged periods and then truing up later with a massive bill. I believe that the only real recourse you have is to request through your Supplier that the utility re-read the meter.

 

I wondered this same thing. I don't have Reliant but another company as I am in northeast Arkansas. Last month I didn't use the heater or AC, I was very careful about leaving appliances and electronics on and running if they didn't need to be, and watched the lights and water usage. My bill actually increased, although not much, from that month compared to the previous. The thing is though, would they even believe you if you complained?

 

Arkansas, as far as I know, is not deregulated... so the same company that reads your meter will be the one that bills you. That probably means that they'll have more data available when you call them and can more easily tell if the reading was wrong.

 

In Minnesota, I have had bills in the past that were estimates and they clearly said "estimate" on the bill.

 

they do read meters. there was a winter storm earlier in the year, a real bad one, everyone went home early due to road hazzard and such. we were shoveling snow, then i saw this guy covered up so heavily that i couldn't see his face. he was walking around from houses to houses, so i was a bit alert. started talking to him when to got close, and turns out he was reading meters from people. i asked him why would he work now, he said, somebody is gotta do the job.

 

I only worked in the group for a few months but I think i saw some estimations go on for about six months. couldn't tell how they decide who's getting estimated, i worked at reliant, like the other poster wrote the actual reading is done by Centerpoint

 

Go out and have a look at the meter yourself. See how many kw/h per day you are using based on the reading and your last bill. Also, if the reading is less than what was on your last bill, call the company and request that someone physically read the meter and make a billing adjustment.

 

Yeah, but we're talking about Minnesota here also.

 

Since you've mentioned that the house is vacant... Has access to the meter been impeded in any way? A new fence or a gate that wasn't locked before? Any signs that say "Beware of Dog"... even if there's no dog? In some cases, the meter readers won't even try to get to the meter if they think there may be a dog around.

Those are just a few of the many reasons that the read may have been estimated. Also, if they're experiencing a shortage of meter readers (and I think the last time I was at the Toyota Center for a game, I remember seeing a big neon sign on the NW corner across the street advertising that Centerpoint was hiring meter readers), that might explain larger numbers of estimated reads.

Since it's been vacant and there's no reason to expect that much usage, going out and taking an actual read yourself would probably confirm your suspicions.

Pretty sure all suppliers have directions on how to do this if you've never done it before, but here are Reliant's:

http://www.reliant.com/PublicLinkAc...n_US&i_full_format=jsp#Meter read information

You'd want to do this before giving your supplier a call and requesting a re-read, because it's always the first thing they'll ask you to do before forwarding the request along to the utility. Suppliers tend to funnel all "high-bill" requests first toward having customers do a self-read because they know that utilities will charge the customer for a re-read if the original read was correct.

 

I think you may be dealing with some squatters. Better take a baseball bat.

 

Call Centerpoint and have request a meter reading. They are estimating. When I was training at Reliant I learned about it. I am thinking they came by, couldn't get to the meter, so they marked your address as a place with an "un-readable" meter. Have them come out again and actually read the thing.

 

Say no to Reliant. I don't know if they read meters or not, but man they have high rates.

Try Spark Energy! I have it and it is wonderful.

 

Why the fark is there still such a thing as a meter reader anyway? Couldn't this all be done electronically for a much less?

 

Automatic meters are coming soon at CenterPoint.

CenterPoint cannot estimate more than 2 months in a row.

 

What does deregulated mean?

 

My guy comes once a month to check mine. He even has a combination to open my garage door because the meter is in the house.