Dear Editor,
On May 20, 2016, I bought a pre-paid card from GPL’s Anna Regina branch for meter number M 14026030842, but I found that the card couldn’t enter the pre-paid meter. I informed the GPL contractor Sanjay what was happening and he came and tried to enter the numbers of the card but was unsuccessful. He took out my meter and said it would be repaired by GPL.
I was told that the meter would be returned the next week, and after taking an inventory of electrical appliances in the building, he then attached a straight electrical line from the light pole to the building so I could get electricity for my tenant who now had no meter. I kept enquiring almost every week at GPL when my pre-paid meter would be returned, only to get promises; this went on for 9 months. I then went into the commercial section since I wasn’t getting any bill, and was handed an estimated account for the 9 months of $102,217. I tried to get some explanation of how GPL arrived at this sum, only to be told that it was estimated from the previous tenant. This is atrocious; the previous tenant had more electrical equipment in the building so there is no way GPL can use the last bills to estimate the present usage.
I tried to contact Ms Charles at the commercial section in Head Office but I did not get her. The secretary however also told me that that was the way GPL did their estimates for customers without meters. Anyhow she took my meter and phone numbers but nothing has happened since I spoke to her, so I don’t know what steps I should take next to query this hefty account.
At the moment all I want is GPL to return my pre-paid meter which I paid for over 5 years ago; this is a royal push-around by some staff at GPL.
Yours faithfully,
Mohamed Khan
