OCEANSIDE, Calif. — The widow who was mischarged by SDG&E for years, finally learns when and how much money she will get back.
CBS 8’s initial investigation of Ms. Bannon's high SDG&E energy bill found that she was hooked up to her neighbor's meter and mischarged since she and her late husband moved to the Oceanside condo for 14 years ago.
It’s been ten days since SDG&E was at her home to make that alarming discovery and Julie Bannon says she has not heard anything on when she will get reimbursed.
“This could go on forever and I'm still paying someone else’s meter,” said Bannon.
Before our interview on Thursday, CBS 8 called SDG&E again to help her get answers on when she will get her money back. During the interview a representative called Bannon.
“I’ve been paying someone else's bill, what for 14 years? That is a long time,” said Bannon to the representative.
Bannon left the country in November for six weeks and when she returned she had a $155 SDG&E bill.
She is on a fixed income and receives a discount. Normally her bills are between $70-$90. The British woman couldn’t make sense of it, even if rates did go up.
“As they say in England, I was totally gob smacked,” said Bannon in a previous interview.
SDG&E originally told CBS 8, they didn't find any leaks and says there were no inaccuracies on their electronic readings of her meter and that she must have left something on.
“I know what it looks like but I didn't have anything on,” said Bannon in a previous call with a SDG&E rep.
CBS 8 was there when SDG&E said they would send a tech out to check her meter and found that she was connected to the wrong meter.
SDG&E says when the condos were built in 1994, four of the units' meters on the same gas line were not hooked up properly.
SDG&E says there were no checks and balances then, rather they took the builder’s word but SDG&E says there are safeguards in place now to keep this from happening again.
“That's how much I've been overpaying is $700?” said Bannon.
Ms. Bannon was told she will receive a $743.08 check by early next week.
Bannon asked for documentation to show how much she will reimbursed.
CBS 8 will continue to follow this issue until it is resolved.
“My husband always said I was tenacious. But it's true. If you don't keep on it, I don't think without your I would have got this far,” said Bannon.
CBS8 was also with Bannon when she filed a complaint with the California Public Utilities Commission, they regulate SDG&E. She says she hasn't heard back.
A spokesperson says it is looking into the complaint and will respond to the consumer, as is their process. But declined any specifics about her case.
CBS 8 also asked the CPUC if SDG&E is required to report this mistake to CPUC, how many complaints it has received from SDG&E customers since January 2022 and what types of complaints are being received and how are they resolved?
A spokesperson for the CPUC says it is working on an providing us with that information.
WATCH RELATED: CBS 8 sits down with SDG&E to discuss rising costs, frustrated customers | Part 2 (February 2022)