Lakewood homeowner's Xcel bill increases 1,500% after smart meters installed

More Xcel customers are reaching out to Contact Denver7 concerned about skyrocketing bills after their smart meters were installed.

[@cire06.]

everyone need to sue xcell thats the only way they will listen

[@lextacy2008]

He can actually file a criminal charge with the States attorney since the Company is ignoring his complaint.

[@yannip2083]

Can I go back to my old meter? This smart meter is a complete scam!

[@kenneth9874]

Doesn't matter the supplier of electric, the problem is the supposedly "smart" meters, my bill tripled but fortunately I have a long residence and had a long history of usage that enabled me to fight the numbers, it took quite a few phone calls and explaining some basic math to get the bill in line with the previous usage, of course I didn't get reimbursed for the overcharge though

[@tsteel80]

I just got notified by Xcel today that they are installing smart meters in my apartment next month. Don't know what I can do.

[@SeanPGribbons]

My excel bill for a 4 bed 3 bath house 1800 sqft in Lakewood is $350 a month. I have a strong feeling excel is blatantly screwing people.

[@ralphmalph6824]

Colorado Springs has a fake opt out. They offered it only after shutting my water off. Their "opt out" meters are called non-transmitting. That's obviously because these meters still receive communications aka commands remotely, which allow for remote shut off, directed power surges, outages, rationing, etc.

[@psychologicalsigma9917]

These smart meters are nit safe either. They start fires.

[@vanpearsall]

The only thing smart about the meter It makes money for the company

[@David-xg8lg]

EXCEL is the worst. Once, years ago, the house i was living in our average electric bill was $90 a month, all of a sudden got a bill (for one month) of $700. I fought with EXCEL for 2 years on that bill, energy audits, meter testing, and every time they said "you must have used the electricity, pay the bill" in the end I had to pay the bill cause what choose did I have, but it was wrong!

[@Isaacrl67]

Our bill has gone up nearly double since the smart meter, and they installed it just after we stopped using our AC for the year.. I am terrified what the costs next summer will be.

[@kw8295]

"We investigated ourselves and found no wrong doing."

[@obiwan2112]

Looks like that meter was smart for Xcel

[@Godknowsvita]

I use portable solar lights inside at night, leave my ac off as much as possible, start washing and hanging clothes outside, basically barely using energy, and yet, they still send me over $100 bill. I was receiving $80 bill, so they sent me a letter saying they're changing the way they calculate the bill, to whenever time of day I use the most, that will be my peak use, and that's how they now determine my usage. Incredible. I have Coast Electric, MS.

[@EaRebel]

My bill has been $50 to $90 a month. I actually used less electric recently cause I haven’t used the ac and my space heater broke. I also stopped using the second lamp in my bedroom, and took three different lightbulbs out of places to save electric. I just got my new bill for my 1 bedroom apt and it’s $600. I guess I added a wing onto my place and a whole family. These ppl do whatever they want and you can’t do ish about it. I’m livid. If that’s the price now then what happens when I get a new space heater or the ac in the summer. I cannot afford this.

[@curtchase3730]

That guy and others with questionable electric bills should install a 3rd party power consumption monitor system. U can then watch real time usage and it keeps a record of your total Kwh too! They start around $100.00 for an Eyedro unit. I have two units here and compare to my real power bills!

[@gerggerggy7757]

I live in NYand this happened to me. My old rotary meter was replaced with a smart meter. My usage went from 300-450 kwh per month to 900-1000 per month. Of course I got the run around from the company and that it couldn’t possibly be their fault.

[@WXSEDY]

I DON'T have a "smart meter" (yet) and I'm paying less than $50 a month for a 2-bed condo which is exposed to outside weather on 3 walls! How the hell can a simple unheated garage use more? XCel is full of crap! They might not know what they're doing too!

[@fauxque5057]

My bill went from between $8-$15 a month to $25. a month. I believe it's time to add some more panels and then cancel my electric service

[@ritalaird6819]

this is also happening to me. I'm praying $100 this month and I didn't even use the ac but one single time, no lights on during peak, ever day costs me about $3 don't the most bare minimum of use.