Locals demand answers about bills

Sentinel & Enterprise — April 24, 2010

LUNENBURG — State Rep. Jennifer Benson, D-Lunenburg, has invited officials from Unitil and Attorney General Martha Coakley's office to attend a forum next month to answer questions residents have about their utility bills and the billing process.

"I'm still receiving calls from people who are concerned about their bill and have questions about what goes into the bill," said Benson, who will co-host the event with State Sen. Jennifer Flanagan, D-Leominster. "I want to give people the chance to learn about the billing process and ask any questions they might have about their specific bill."

The forum, titled "Be an Informed Utility Customer," will be held on Monday, May 10, at 7 p.m. in Lunenburg Town Hall. It is open to anyone in Unitil's coverage area, which includes Lunenburg, Fitchburg, Townsend and Ashby.

Assistant Attorney General Jed Nosal, who is chief of the Energy and Telecommunications Division, and John DiNapoli, Unitil's Municipal and Community Services Manager, will be in attendance.

Flanagan said the forum provides residents with a great opportunity to learn all the details of their utility bill, which can be very confusing.

"With all the different rates and charges on any utility bill, it can be tedious breaking down each line," she said. "The attorney general and Unitil will be able to explain how rates are set and detail every charge so that we all have a better understanding of the entire process." Many residents had complaints about Unitil's estimated billing process following the Dec. 11 ice storm, which left residents without power for up to two weeks.

While it's standard procedure for utility companies to estimate bills during periods when the power goes out, some people believed they were being overcharged.

"(Nosal) probably won't be equipped to make site judgments about a person's specific billing concern, but he will be able to explain to people how to file a complaint," Benson said. "I wanted to make sure Unitil representatives were also at the meeting so they could go over personal bills."

Benson said people should come with photocopies of their bill and any questions they have about it.

"People will have an opportunity to sit down with a customer service representative and go over the bill," Benson said. "If they're still not satisfied, they can get some information on how to file a complaint or any other actions they can take."

Lunenburg resident Cathy Clark, who heads a group looking to remove Unitil as the local utility provider, said bills in the four communities served by Unitil continue to be disproportionately high compared to other areas.

"I really hope the AG's office can take a look at the amount of bills that just don't make sense in this region," Clark said. "This forum seems more informational in purpose, but I hope some good comes out of it."