A New York woman has discovered she was paying her neighbor's electricity bill for ten years due to a wiring mix-up. Nicole Niceforo repeatedly contacted Con Edison for years, concerned about her significantly high electric bills, which prompted her to conserve energy extensively, including limiting air conditioning use during hot weather.
Niceforo first suspected an issue in September 2016 and requested a meter inspection. Despite her persistent calls and emails, Con Edison cited external factors like summer temperatures for the high costs. Building management also tested her meter, leading Niceforo to believe the issue was resolved. However, she continued to pay what she thought were her own bills, suffering through heat and unplugging appliances to save money.
Nine years later, her building manager re-examined the meter and discovered that it was wired to a different apartment. This confirmed that Niceforo had been billed for her neighbor's electricity consumption for the past decade. Upon addressing the error with Con Edison, the company acknowledged the mistake and provided corrected bills. Niceforo found that one month's charge was nearly $180, while her actual usage cost only $41.
Con Edison reimbursed Niceforo $6,000, but company policy limited reimbursement to the last six years. The company stated in a comment to Fox 5 New York, "Con Edison values its customers and works with them if they believe their energy use is not correctly reflected on their bill." They also noted that electrical equipment within a building is typically the building owner's responsibility.
This is not the only instance of Con Edison billing errors. Another Queens resident, also named Nicole, reported a similar wiring mix-up in 2024 after noticing her bills remained constant even when she was away on vacation. A Con Edison technician confirmed the error at the time, calling such mistakes rare. Additionally, a Brooklyn resident, Jacob Mnookin, informed The City Reporter that Con Edison began charging him for his tenants' electricity after solar equipment was installed.
