ROANOKE, Va—
Imagine getting billed twice for the electricity you use for your home. One Rocky Mount woman told your Hometown News Leader that's exactly what happened to her.
In this tight economy, many struggle to pay the bills. Susan Johnson is no different. She wants answers from Appalachian Power.
Johnson says she paid her October bill on time and in full. Then, she paid her December bill, also on time and in full. Her confusion started when she received another bill for October, one she'd already paid.
Needless to say, she was unhappy. She told us she understands mistakes happen but is worried that the elderly or those on fixed budgets might mistakenly overpay. She says Appalachian Power should've been quicker to alert customers of the mistake. "They should turn around and be more proactive, get in touch with the right people so that we could be notified. And then none of this would've happened," Johnson said.
Your Hometown News Leader also spoke with Todd Burns of Appalachian Power Thursday afternoon. He says the company is aware of the mistake and is working to figure out how it happened. Burns says only about one-percent of customers were affected. "If customers call in, they'll be told to ignore the duplicate bill. And if they do happen to pay it, it will be noted. The bottom line is the customer doesn't pay for more energy than they use," Burns explained to us.
If you're an Appalachian Power customer and received a duplicate bill, you're asked to call customer service.
