MY previous GPL bill (residential rate) was $4,000 and for the other months of this year it varied between that amount and $7,000, except for one month it went up to over $9,000. However, it was astonishing to see the most recent bill being over $15,000 even though I have the same set of appliances and of course for the entire month on the West Demerara experienced blackouts day and night. But by some mystery the bill jumped up to almost four times over the previous month.
In addition the very GPL bill showed that my average consumption for the past three months was 207 units but the current bill showed my consumption jumped to 277 units despite blackouts et al. This does not sound logical, but I guess that is an alien phenomenon to GPL.
So I went to the GPL’s Vreed-en-Hoop branch to enquire about this mystery where I was explained to very politely that my previous bill was an estimated one and it was under estimated and the present one compensates for the underestimation.
Now several questions pop up here. Does GPL still have a system of estimated bills? If they do why do they employ meter readers?
Even if I were underestimated would there be such significant increase and should I suffer because of GPL’s incompetence?
Is there any system in place to verify that the hand written meter readings submitted by the meter readers are correct ones put into the computers?
Does the consumer have any way of knowing whether the hand written meter readings are correctly placed into the computers? On this note, GPL should put in place immediately a system whereby the consumer is given a signed copy of the meter readings taken by the meter readers because they come check meters write their figures and consumers do not know what is written on their charts.
Lastly, would it have dented GPL’s financial coffers to send an explanatory note accompanying my bill, seen that there was a drastic increase, giving the reason(s) for the situation rather than I having to spend time and money to sort out such a matter?
But I guess GPL knows fully that I do not have alternative source of electricity supply so why should they take all that trouble.