Electric Bill Changes “Shock” Portland Electric Customers

As Portland residents opened their utility bills this month they were in for a rude awakening.  Electric bills that arrived earlier this month for many appeared higher than usual and all that before the summer cooling season even started.  This surprise left many residents confused and concerned. 

According to a City of Portland staffer, the charges are not a mistake, but rather reflect a transition in utility meter reading.  In May contractors working for, the Portland Board of Power and Light (BPL) have been upgrading older electric meters across town to so-called “smart meters.”  This upgrade allows electric usage to be wirelessly transmitted to a meter reader's computer as they drive by as opposed to having to manually read and record each meter.  Doing so was a time consuming process which often required entering backyards of homes and contending with locked gates, meters blocked by landscaping and even unfriendly dogs.  

According to the city utility billing staff the new system allows billing to be more up to date and eliminates the dreaded process of estimating bills.  The transitional period involved billing for the electricity used on the old meter up to the date it was replaced as well as that used on the new meter.  That is reflected on the utility bill but with separate lines for the old meter and for the new meter’s readings can look like the bill is usually higher than or just plain confusing.  This is because it includes some of the previous month depending on when contractors installed the new meter.  The electricity read on both old and new meters are reflected separately on different line items on the bill but added up on the total amount due.  This transitional period should only last for a month and then look more normal according to city utility billing staff.