Conn. woman billed 25 years for streetlights

(AP) CHESHIRE, Conn. - A Connecticut utility has reimbursed a woman almost $10,500 after acknowledging it billed her for 25 years for the electricity used to power streetlights near her home.

Grace Edwards tells the Hartford Courant she discovered the billing error after a prospective buyer for the house in Cheshire asked for a history of utility charges.

Connecticut Light & Power says a developer who previously owned the home had agreed to pay for the lights.

The company initially refused to reimburse Edwards but relented when the state's Office of Consumer Counsel got involved.

The overcharges amounted to about $35 each month.

CL&P spokesman Mitch Gross says the utility has apologized to Edwards for the error and inconvenience.

[formerlyluvnut]

Grace.....it's me Luvnut.....I miss you.....call me sweetie!

[tastearb]

Amazing that small-minded people take a story like this and relate it to Paul Ryan and the conservatives! Amazing. It's a simple story about someone being overcharged by the utility company and getting her money back, albeit without interest.

[Lindag20]

Makes you wonder how many OTHER people they were scamming. My cousin has a friend who the city they live in was billing for sewer fees when his house was on a septic tank. Goes on all the time, people need to LOOK at their bills before paying them.

[lillyhorton]

So the previous owner gets billed? When she bought the house was this agreement part of the house or did the previous owner forget to tell her?

[urinine]

Isn't this what the conservatives and libertarians want? Why should we socialize street lights? If you want one by your house, you should have to pay for it. Why should I be forced to pay for a light by your house that doesn't even help me? Of course if there are more accidents or burglaries by your house, well we better privatize E Responders, Fire Depts, and the Police Dept too.

[cybervigilante]

Paul Ryan says everyone should pay for their own streetlights. You damn streetlight deadbeats better start coughing up ;')

[rufustherat]

Conn. Woman Conned for 25 years !

[kainos2]

I bet their apology was so sincere - especially since it took a state agency to compel them to reimburse the fraudulent charges.

[democracy8]

I hope they're paying interest on it too.

[cybervigilante]

The REAL question is - how many Others are they doing this to, and still getting away with it.

[jt92202]

35.00 X 12 X 25 years = 10500 so no intrest and that is criminal! If she owed that money to them she would have to pay interest!

[Whys333]

Accidental piggy bank. Sounds like Edwards really needs the cash right now.

[nolapearl]

I bet if you were erroneously charged for something for 25 years, you'd want your money too. It wasn't a gift. They took HER money.

[cx773]

Who cares whether she really needs the money or not! It's hers and it should be returned her ASAP. With interest!