“I find it hard to believe after paying all of my bills over $300 for the last several months, I’m now looking at a bill that’s less than $200.” “It makes me wonder if maybe the meters are actually working,” Ramos said. Sure, that might feel like a Christmas gift, but that doesn’t help Ramos’ confidence these smart meters are as accurate as the old-fashioned way of just sending someone out to check the meter every couple months. The next several months saw bills ranging between $344 and $358.īut then a reader showed up in November, and the next month, he got a much different amount due in his monthly bill: $168. The first bill ConEd sent Ramos after switching to a smart meter in July was $317. “For some reason, my bill decreased by half,” he said. The arrival of a meter reader actually brought good tidings. Victor Ramos was one of the luckier tenants. “They’re supposed to be really accurate.” “I mean, I thought the purpose of having this meter was so that we didn’t need readers coming along to read them,” Garcia said. Garcia’s understanding was that once these meters were installed, meter readers themselves would become obsolete.

“Now, all of a sudden, the bill is crazy high. “We’ve gone almost six months without anyone checking our meter,” Garcia said. Many of her neighbors had a similar experience, being asked to pay double or even triple normal costs.Īlthough smart meters themselves have been available for years, ConEd installed these meters at 3215 Arlington last summer. Getting monthly data from the meters means there is no more guessing between visits, and with that no surprises after one.īut Garcia wasn’t alone in finding the super-high bill. The idea is that physical visits like the one Garcia received in November are rarely - if ever - necessary. That’s something Garcia and her neighbors don’t see too much of anymore since ConEd installed smart meters - devices that not only measure how much electricity or gas is being used, but also sends that information directly to ConEd. Nothing had changed in Garcia’s life, except the ConEd meter reader had paid a visit to her building just before Thanksgiving. But that December bill? ConEd was looking for her to hand over $300. Garcia’s monthly electric bill typically runs no more than $100 this time of the year. “I thought to myself this has to be a mistake on the part of the Con Edison.” That was until the December installment arrived at her 3215 Arlington Ave., home. Rachel Garcia had felt pretty good about her utility bills.

Not because they spent too much on gifts, but instead because Con Edison dropped a lump of coal into their monthly utility bill. The holiday season is gone, but some are still feeling the pinch well into January.

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