2006-06-22 21:34:19Cabnolen
Power cut off for penny-short payment
Source: UPI
FLINT, Mich. (UPI) -- A cash-strapped Flint, Mich., woman who was a penny short on paying her electric bill was plunged into darkness until she showed up with a cent payment.
Jacqueline Williams, 41, who gets Social Security payments, began letting her debt to Consumers Energy slip in November, the Flint Journal reported Tuesday.
Last week, she received a warning that power to her home would soon be shut off, and she went to the state Department of Human Services, where she was told the agency would pay most of the bill.
The Salvation Army also pledged $430.67 and Consumers Energy agreed to match $430.66 toward the bill.
However, the total came to $1,662.07 -- a cent short of the bill total -- and her power was turned off that afternoon.
Williams took a penny to the utility, and several hours later, a second power crew drove to her house to turn the power back on, the report said.
Consumers Energy spokesman Terry DeDoes said it was the first time he’d heard of a disconnect order based on a delinquent one-cent amount.
Copyright 2006 by United Press International
FLINT, Mich. (UPI) -- A cash-strapped Flint, Mich., woman who was a penny short on paying her electric bill was plunged into darkness until she showed up with a cent payment.
Jacqueline Williams, 41, who gets Social Security payments, began letting her debt to Consumers Energy slip in November, the Flint Journal reported Tuesday.
Last week, she received a warning that power to her home would soon be shut off, and she went to the state Department of Human Services, where she was told the agency would pay most of the bill.
The Salvation Army also pledged $430.67 and Consumers Energy agreed to match $430.66 toward the bill.
However, the total came to $1,662.07 -- a cent short of the bill total -- and her power was turned off that afternoon.
Williams took a penny to the utility, and several hours later, a second power crew drove to her house to turn the power back on, the report said.
Consumers Energy spokesman Terry DeDoes said it was the first time he’d heard of a disconnect order based on a delinquent one-cent amount.
Copyright 2006 by United Press International