Private Property and Utility Workers

[Henrietta23]

If I could just get the meter reader to close the %&$% gate I'd be happy. There's a sign on it requesting that you do so. I called and complained that my animals were being placed at risk because of their lazy employee. Most of the time they close it now. Most, but not all.

I had to run my fence 6 feet from the house so the meter reader can get to it without entering the dogs area as I would never trust them in the yard with him without me. I asked him when they will be getting the telemetry setup like in the civilized world and he said not in my lifetime.

So I just designed a fence within a fence with a spring loaded gate that will always close and latch behind someone. I can't fathom how a human could walk through a gate and not close it behind them but thats why they make spring loaded hinges.

That is a good solution. We will look into replacing our hinge as the fence and gate on that side is in need of some repairs anyway.

 

[lupinfarm]

Utility workers never announce themselves. I think the idea is that you have utilities on your land, thus it is expected utility workers are to work on them at some point. We've been lucky because all of our meters have been outside fenced areas. At the old house it was before our gate, and here it is on a pole halfway up the driveway so we never have to see the meter guys LOL.

 

[lorihadams]

Yeah, my old neighbor got all fired up cause the power company showed up every day for a week and ended up cutting down all of his blackberry bushes cause they were too close to a power line.

Talk about fired up! I'd be pissed too if they got rid of my FOOD.

 

[xpc]

Yeah, my old neighbor got all fired up cause the power company showed up every day for a week and ended up cutting down all of his blackberry bushes cause they were too close to a power line.

Talk about fired up! I'd be pissed too if they got rid of my FOOD.

People should know better to plant or attach any thing to a utilities ROW easement as it is generally not legal for the homeowner to do... Right Of Way means just that.

 

[lorihadams]

They were growing wild on his property. Had been for the last 10 years and they decided this year to cut them all down.

 

[xpc]

Our poco charges everybody $3 a month to clear the ROW and at 20,000 people county wide makes $60,000 a month to cut branches. A few month ago I asked them to trim a big branch from my oak and they said no as it was not in the ROW and my responsibility.

I remember in Florida some twenty years ago during a heavy midnight storm a bunch of palm trees in the backyard started glowing orange and sparks were flying, it woke me up looking like fireworks out my window.

I called the poco and they came out but couldn't reach the backyard as there was no alleyway and had to use ladders in a driving downpour to trim the branches and palms, I was nice enough to break out my portable flood lights so they could see what they were doing. Power lines in city neighborhoods are usually between 4,000 to 12,000 volts.

 

[patandchickens]

When you guys say hydro meter that means water right?

No, here in Ontario "hydro" is short for "hydroelectric" which was where most of the electric grid got its power from back when names were passing into conversational form. Of course nowadays it is largely coal-fired, nuclear and "bought from the States", although of course there is still *some* actual hydroelectric power.

But everyone still calls it hydro. As in "ah phoo, the hydro's out again, light some candles and don't open the fridge".

Go figure.

Pat

 

[PunkinPeep]

A little update:

After complaining my heart out to y'all yesterday, i was pretty calmed down and had almost decided not to say anything to the power company.

But this afternoon, i had to call them back because after the work they did yesterday, the line to our house is now intimately co-mingling with our magnolia branches. We thought they'd like to know that before there's a storm.

But when i called, i got a customer service girl who decided to give me the whatfor about having asked for heads-up phone calls yesterday (i didn't even broach that subject today). So, when i got off the phone, i decided to put it in writing. And i did.

Dear SHECO Customer Service Management;

I have always been very impressed with the excellent level of service that i have received from SHECO. The courtesy i have received over the phone, and the helpfulness of representatives in person and over the phone has been very impressive. I have been pleased in every way to be able to live in such a rural area and receive such fantastic, efficient, high standards of service from my energy provider.

However, my last couple of interactions with your representatives have been troubling to me.

The first may seem minor, but is very important to me. The contracted crew who came out to install a new pole in my yard yesterday appeared to do their job very quickly and efficiently. However, i have to say that i do not understand why crews such as this one would not make it common practice to knock on the door of the home and let the homeowner know that they are here to do their work. Especially in such a rural area as SHECO services, it is in the best interests of the customers and the linemen to simply be courteous by announcing themselves. I have every respect for the hard work that linemen do to keep the power running in such a widespread area, and don't want to stop anyone from doing their job to the best of their ability. But on the rare occasion that they are called upon to use multiple large vehicles and large crews of men i don't know, i would also like for those hard working men and women to respect the fact that this is my home and announce their presence before doing work. This is common courtesy.

Second, i called today because that same pole (installed yesterday) is causing the electric line to run into some branches from a nearby tree, and that pole appears to be leaning to one side. The telephone representative responded with a short, "I'll report it, ok?" You can call me picky if you want to, but i did not glean from that statement that a work order was being written or that anyone would be responding to my concern, so i asked if someone would be getting back to me. My response was a lecture about how she doesn't know the schedule of the contractors and about how quickly they answered my request for a night light. All she needed to tell me is that she was writing a work order or that she would have someone come out. Then, if i complained about not knowing when anyone would be here, she might have politely explained that they were unable to grant my request for phone calls prior to service. There's never a need for a lecture.

In her defense, i have made requests in the past for heads-up phone calls when someone is coming; however this phone call was not about that. I have been led to understand that phone calls to the customer prior to service, seem to be a service communication that SHECO is not willing to ask of its contractors.

I have done a lot of customer service phone work, and i have dealt with lots of irate citizens, and i know how to do so with kindness and respect. I was not an irate customer, and i was treated with a short attitude and a condescending tone - and a lecture. This is unacceptable to me.

Perhaps i am spoiled. I have always been treated so very nicely by every representative of SHECO, that this lapse in considerate and respectful customer service surprised me more than it might have if i lived in the city where the power companies tend to lean toward rudeness.

Please continue SHECO's high standards by respecting your members. I know that every one of us appreciate it. We are truly blessed to have an energy provider with such high standards as those of Sam Houston Electric Cooperative.

Thank you very much for your time and consideration.

wow, i didn't realize how long-winded that letter was until just now. i was just trying to be thorough.

That email went out at 2:13 pm, and at 4:43, much to my surprise, i was getting an apologetic phone call from management. I am very pleased. The gentleman who called, incidentally, assured me that it is no problem at all for the operations manager to give a courtesy call to me before any contracted crew comes to my house to do work.

My faith is renewed in my favorite electric co-op.

Oh, and i owe the bit about appreciation for linemen to xpc. I wasn't lying, by any means, but i might not have added that to my letter if it weren't for your input. They do need to know that they are appreciated. They do incredible work.