WRAL 5 on Your Side helps Raleigh man save nearly $3K on energy bill, claims he spent 18 hours trying to sort out bill

A little less than a year ago, Prejesh Singh moved into a newer downtown Raleigh apartment complex. He told WRAL 5 on Your Side that his electric bill never cost more than $100 during the fall and winter months, which are normally the most expensive months, according to Duke Energy. However, this spring he received a notice from Duke Energy alerting him that he’d been underpaying.

“Duke Energy had basically said that I had an outstanding bill of $2,200 to $2,300 and that I had been underpaying each month,” Singh said. “They told me I really should’ve been paying $400 to $500 a month.”

Singh called Duke Energy’s customer service line and spoke with multiple representatives over the course of several weeks.

“I have about 18 hours logged of call time with them,” he said.

After a month, the two parties were at a standstill with Singh refusing to pay the outstanding bill.

“They were saying they were going to cut my power at some point,” Singh said.

Out of desperation, Singh began to Google search alterative solutions and stumbled upon WRAL 5 on Your Side.

WRAL 5 On Your Side reached out to Duke Energy’s media team and explained that it didn’t make sense that it cost $500 per month for electricity in a one-bedroom apartment in a relatively new building.

Duke Energy investigated it further and finally found the problem: A smart meter that was improperly calibrated and misrepresenting Singh’s usage. The company adjusted his bill, reducing it by $2,800.

Duke Energy spokesperson Jeff Brooks provided the following statement about Singh’s situation:

“The issue occurred as a result of a data entry error that occurred when the account was set up and the meter exchanged at this location. We initially investigated the meter as the cause of the billing error, but multiple tests proved the meter was accurate and not the cause.

“The data entry error that caused the billing issue was not easy for the investigation team to identify, which led to more time than usual to investigate and resolve the issue. We apologize for the inconvenience, but are glad we were able to identify the error and correct the customer’s bill.”

'It's not right': Unread meters lead to inaccurate Duke Energy Bills

Anyone who believes they are getting overcharged for an incorrect utility bill is encouraged to do the same thing as Singh by logging the hours you’ve spent on the phone. Duke Energy will likely investigate the claim and the meter.

Customers should also consider removing themselves from autopay, that way they can be more aware of billing changes. Just be sure to pay the bill on time.