Calling it a bump in the road, E.L.K. Energy Board Chair Sherry Bondy says the utility will have to pay a fine and donate after overbilling customers.
E.L.K.'s board fixed the error earlier this month after reporting it to the Ontario Energy Board.
Bondy said the new board and management team found it while reviewing operations last July.
"As soon as we found this issue, we notified the Ontario Energy Board immediately," said Bondy. "We want to have transparency and full disclosure with the Ontario Energy Board, and we want to fix issues. We really want to get on top of things."
The error dates back to November 2020.
It will have to pay a penalty of $10,000 and donate $2,741, the total amount over three years, to its Low-income Energy Assistance Program.
The error per residential customer was only $0.30 per residential customer, and many of those impacted are no longer customers, so the OEB accepted the donation as restitution.
"An error is an error," said Bondy. "Nobody likes to get a fine, of course, but we're doing what we can to fix the situation, and it won't happen again."
Bondy said the utility is entering a new phase of accountability and investment and will host a second public meeting on Monday to explain upcoming changes, including a possible rate hike.
"E.L.K. ran with a previous mantra of low rates, low investment, and now we have to play catch-up," she explained. "If we're going to have better service, it's going to come with a cost, but I think people, generally, are happy that they're seeing a new board, a new direction, and investment back into the utility."
The meeting at the Essex Centre Sports Complex starts at 6 p.m.
Bondy said a previous meeting in Kingsville was well attended.
E.L.K. Energy serves 12,600 customers in Essex, Lakeshore, and Kingsville.
