Regulators approve PCP&L billing error settlement

HARRISBURG — The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) today approved a settlement agreement that ends an informal investigation into a system billing error that resulted in incorrect bills for 353 Pike County Light and Power Co. (PCL&P) customers. The Commission voted unanimously to direct $35,300 ($100 per customer affected by the billing error) to The Neighbor Fund, which helps low-income PCL&P customers with their bills. As part of the settlement, the company also has agreed to implement additional billing system reviews in an effort to ensure this is a one-time occurrence. The company has agreed not to recover any of the approximately $35,000 under-billed service from ratepayers. As the result of a customer inquiry concerning monthly billing demand, the company began reviewing its ratchet billing calculations for all non-residential customers and found a system billing error in the application of its tariff. The company notified the PUC of the problem in June 2006.