Glitch results in $50 billion power bill

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UTILITY CUSTOMERS GET A SHOCK

"We are pursuing a billing outsourcing solution that we expect to have in place no later than September 30, 1999."
Montana Power Year 2000 Disclosure
Well, maybe just a little later :-'

-- spider (spider0@usa.net), October 03, 1999

Answers

UTILITY CUSTOMERS GET A SHOCK<\b>

Hundreds of Montana Power Co. bills had misprints this month, but Frank and Pat Radella may have the capper: Their electricity tab was $50 billion.

``I contacted the bank and let them know that I might be severely overdrawn this month,'' Frank Radella said, noting the power bill is deducted from his account automatically.

The charge for electricity at the couple's cabin near Roscoe should have been $35.95, utility spokesman Cort Freeman said. A typographical error occurred as a new billing system was brought on line, he said.

The correct monthly charge was printed in the bill's ``new charges'' portion. Only that amount was deducted from the account.

Similar mistakes were made on about 1,000 other bills this month, Freeman said.

-- spider (spider0@usa.net), October 04, 1999.


End Bold

-- spider (spider0@usa.net), October 04, 1999.

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