Your electric bills are correct, and are actually reflecting the amount of electricity you did indeed consume, over the previous three billing cycles. Very simple. Easy peasy.
I will attempt to explain the billing situation in the easiest terms that I possibly can for you.
RD residents should have a much easier time understanding this, as opposed to the foreign visitor/condo renters, who seem to be full of other, well let us just say, "issues" recently.
As well, if you are easily distracted by numbers please move on, as there are no pictures I can provide to help you. I will attempt to space the examples as best possible, for ease of understanding.
I will be using EDEESTE which serves the southern tier, for my examples
Your electric bill is based on a cycle of on average 30 days. On average, because it may run 29 or 30 but no longer than 31 days. The company also provides you with a 30 day window following to make payment.
We will start with the billing period of 26/2 - 26/3, with payment due prior to 28/4. This period covers the end of February, and most of March for a period of 30 days, and provides for the window of 30 days to make payment.
As we all know by now, the State of Emergency went into effect on 19/3. This SOE effected most businesses including the electrical utility sector, which operated at less manpower, and attended to emergencies only. Basic service calls and meter readings were not being performed.
It is also safe to understand as well that we all, for the most part, consumed more electric than we normally would have due to the curfew hours, and being restricted to our residences more so than is the standard normal.
I will freely admit that I did.
Now, when the SOE went into effect, your billing cycle was only 22 days into the 30 day cycle. With no meter readings, the companies used your average usage daily for the prior 22 days, and estimated the usage for the final 8 days of the billing cycle. This combined, gave you your bill for the cycle of 26/2 - 26/3. For our example, let us say it was 10,000 pesos.
The next billing cycle ran from 27/3 - 25/4 (30 days), with payment due prior to 27/5. There were no meter readings to be had, so the company issued a statement copying the usage of the previous cycle, based on estimated daily usage, which resulted in an amount of......10,000 pesos as well for this cycle.
Finally, we now move on to the current cycle of 26/4 - 25/5 (30 days), with payment due prior to 27/6.
In this cycle, you are most likely seeing a large amount, but it is actually the true amount you owe. How so?
Remember the 26/2- 26/3 billing period? You were charged 10,000 pesos. That amount contained 8 days that were estimated. Your bill should have been 12,000 instead of the 10,000, but you were charged only the 10,000....thereby owing +2000.
The 27/3 - 25/4 billing period charged you 10,000, as it was just repeated without a reading, when in actuality, it could have totaled 15,000....thereby owing +5000.
Now with our current cycle of 26/4 - 25/5 (30 days), you are seeing your last 30 day cycle of usage, say 15,000 + 5,000 owed, + 2,000 owed.....for a monthly bill totalling 22,000 with payment due prior to 27/6, while you believe your bill should only be 10,000 pesos.
22,000 -vs- 10,000.....the reality -vs- your belief.
To further complicate matters for some slow laners, the electric companies stated that they were going to be providing 24 hour service, and no customers would have their service cut due to lack of payment. Many chose not to make any payments during this time. These persons are now receiving a statement that would read as such....12,000 + 15,000 + 15,000......totaling 42,000 pesos, payable by 27/6.
At no time did the company say they were offering free electric. They solely stated that customers would receive 24 hour electric, and no customers would lose their service during the SOE, due to nonpayment.
So, in conclusion, your electric bills are correct, and are actually reflecting the amount of electricity you indeed did consume.
Very simple. Easy peasy.