California Man Pays Neighbor's Electric Bill for 18 Years Due to Utility Mix-Up

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Ken Wilson, a long-time resident of Vacaville, California, recently uncovered an unexpected and costly mistake: he had been paying his neighbor's Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) bill for nearly two decades. Wilson, who moved into his apartment in 2006, noticed his electricity bills were unusually high and took measures to cut down his energy usage. However, despite his efforts, the bills continued to rise.

"I thought there was a leak or someone was stealing my electricity or the meter was faulty because something wasn't right," Wilson told CBS Sacramento.

In an attempt to resolve the issue, Wilson contacted PG&E, who sent a technician to investigate. It was during this inspection that the utility company discovered the mix-up. Wilson's meter had been linked to the wrong apartment, meaning he had been paying for the electricity used by the unit next door.

PG&E acknowledged the error and apologized in a statement, saying, "We acknowledge an error occurred in this instance, and we are fully committed to rectifying the situation with the customer and make the customer whole."

Wilson believes the billing error could have been happening for the entire 18 years he's lived in the apartment. While PG&E is working to correct the situation, Wilson hopes his experience will serve as a reminder for others to closely monitor their utility bills.

The case is still being resolved, and PG&E has informed Wilson that the billing adjustment may not take effect until the next cycle. Wilson expressed frustration over the situation but is hopeful that the error will be corrected soon.