Bay Area PG&E customer finds out he’s been paying neighbor’s bill for up to 18 years

VACAVILLE, Calif. (KGO) — A Solano County man noticed something strange with his utility bill. It turned out, he’s been paying for someone else’s meter — and it may have been going on for 18 years.

Ken Wilson lives alone in an apartment.

When his bill spiked a few months ago, he tried to cut back, even buying a device to tell him how many watts his appliances were using.

The bill stayed high, finally he called PG&E.

MORE: State regulators unanimously approve PG&E’s 4th rate hike for 2024

Turns out, he’s been paying the bill for the unit next door, possibly since 2006.

“Even after I turned off my breakers, I kept going outside to check my meter to see if it was still running and it was still running. And I couldn’t believe it,” Wilson said.

PG&E has owned up to the mistake, and says it is committed to making it right.

Though, it has not said exactly how.

This is probably a rare occurrence, but here’s a tip just in case: the meter ID number is listed on the monthly bill, so it might be a good idea to check to make sure they match.