For 20 Years, He Thought It Was His – What Happens When He Finally Finds Out the Truth!

In a story that could make anyone check their utility meters twice, Ken Wilson, a resident of Vacaville, California, recently uncovered a shocking discovery about his monthly electricity bill. What seemed like just another expense had secretly grown into a costly mistake – one that had lasted for nearly two decades.

For years, Wilson had been diligently monitoring his electricity usage, trying to cut back on energy consumption and lower his monthly costs. “I’ve been trying to conserve electricity and lower my costs because it was getting really expensive,” Wilson shared with KOLD-TV. However, despite his best efforts, the numbers on his utility bill continued to climb.

Wilson’s suspicion grew as he noticed that no matter how much he cut back, his bill seemed abnormally high. “I kept going outside to check my meter… and I couldn’t believe it,” he said. His mind raced with possible explanations. Was there a leak? Was someone stealing his power? Or perhaps, his meter was simply malfunctioning. As the months went on, Wilson became increasingly frustrated, convinced something wasn’t right.

A Decades-Long Misconnection

The reality was far worse than any of Wilson’s theories. It wasn’t a leaky meter, and no one was tampering with his electricity. The truth was that since 2006, when he first moved into his apartment, Wilson had unknowingly been footing the bill for his neighbor’s electricity usage. His apartment’s meter had been mistakenly connected to his neighbor’s unit—meaning for nearly 20 years, Wilson was paying his neighbor’s power bill.

The mix-up, which only came to light recently, was confirmed by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E). The utility provider admitted that Wilson’s meter was mistakenly linked to a neighboring unit, which had been benefiting from free electricity for years. In a statement released by PG&E, the company acknowledged that “the meter number for the customer’s apartment was being billed to another apartment since potentially 2009.”

Wilson was understandably outraged by the revelation. “I feel powerless right now because I can’t control my own meter,” he told reporters. The knowledge that he had been paying for someone else’s electricity for nearly two decades left him feeling frustrated and helpless. Although PG&E apologized for the error, Wilson said the issue wouldn’t be fully resolved until the next billing cycle.

A Long Road to Resolution

Although PG&E has committed to fixing the problem, Wilson is still waiting for a permanent solution. As of the latest reports, Wilson is still paying his neighbor’s electricity bill, with the company only promising to resolve the situation in the next billing cycle. For Wilson, the delay is just adding insult to injury after years of overpaying.

“I just hope this story is going to help others. I can’t be the only one,” Wilson said, hoping that his story will encourage others to double-check their own utility bills and meters. He isn’t the first person to experience such a mistake, but his story serves as a cautionary tale for anyone who thinks their bill might be higher than expected.

In an era of ever-rising energy costs, it’s important to keep a close eye on your utility usage. For Wilson, what started as a small mystery turned into an 18-year ordeal that cost him thousands of dollars. Hopefully, his experience will encourage others to take a closer look at their bills—and ensure they aren’t paying for someone else’s power.