Hugh Neeld: The Curmudgeon Report

Maybe you saw the small notice in your paper. If you’re a scanner rather than a deep reader, you probably missed it. Like most notices of its kind, it was couched in language that would intimidate a law school graduate. Just to give you an idea of the overall tone, here’s the opening paragraph:

“Oncar Electric Delivery Company LLC (Oncar), a regulated electric transmission and distribution company, wishes to inform you that on May 28, 2008, Oncar filed a Request for Approval of Advanced Metering System Deployment Plan and Advanced Metering System Surcharge with the Public Utility Commission of Texas, a copy of which Request is kept at Oncar’s office at 1601 Bryant Street, 23rd floor, Dallas, TX 75201.”

Two things struck me right off the bat; (1) This is the longest sentence I have ever seen in my life—65 words! This would get a failing grade in any writing class in the world; and (2) Nobody I know is going to drive to Dallas, go up to the 23rd floor of Oncor’s office building and read a copy of a document which they won’t understand anyway.

“If approved,” the notice continued, “the nonbypassable surcharge will go into effect on Jan 21, 2009.” I couldn’t find the word “nonbypassable” in my dictionary, but take it to mean that the surcharge cannot be dodged, ducked or avoided. Is this a presidential edict, I wondered? Did the Supreme Court make such a ruling? Who says it can’t be bypassed? What is the penalty for bypassing it? Would to do so be a felony or a misdemeanor?

Oncar says the new meters will allow the company to eliminate meter readers, better manage power outages and usage and give customers a way to better monitor and control their electricity use. The surcharge, they say, will allow them to recover reasonable and necessary costs incurred in deploying advanced metering systems to such customers.

Say a company provides an essential service to its customers. One day it comes up with a device which it claims benefits their customer, but in reality benefits the company more. Who should pay for the device, the company or the customer? I say the company.

To protest or express your opinion, mail it to The Public Utility Commission of Texas, P.O. Box 13326, Austin, TX 78711-3326. But hurry. The deadline is July 14th.

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A question to ponder:

Why does living within your income have to be like house arrest?

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Hugh Neeld is a freelance columnist for TylerPaper.com.

Hugh Neeld is a freelance columnist for TylerPaper.com.
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