Temporary billing cycle surprises many Pepco customers with higher than usual bill
Pepco customers: did you notice a big price hike in your last bill? FOX 5 has been getting reports of customers whose bills more than doubled this billing cycle.
"It [was] about $110 to $120, but it went up to $280 this past month," said Maurico Ceac.
He is feeling the blues after being slapped with a shockingly high electric bill this month after Pepco changed the billing cycle from 28 days to 42 days for tens of thousands of customers -- merging part of December with January.
"I know it's winter, but that is a lot of money to pay," said Ceac.
Pepco said the reason for the longer bill cycle was so they could upgrade their customer information system. Pepco said they did send out a warning to customers. However, many told FOX 5 they were just surprised how high the bill actually was.
Now customers like Ceac say he has got to put in a few extra 16-hour days on the job as a contractor, even if his work location is not his first choice -- he works right next door to Pepco's headquarters.
Pepco said the longer bill cycle was temporary. The February bill will be back to the normal billing cycle of around 30 days.
Pepco is offering payment plans and assistance for customers with high bills. They have also added more call center support for customers who have had problems getting connecting with the power company. If you have any questions for Pepco, call them at (202) 833-7500.