CUMMING, Ga. — Linda Wohlbach says her home seemed like something out of a horror movie on the night of July 4th.
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“My house started to experience what I call poltergeist activity. There was just zapping things,” Wohlbach said. “I turned on a light over here, and the light bulb busted, and glass came down to the ground.”
She said lights flickered throughout the home, bulbs burst, and appliances began malfunctioning.
She later learned the problem was a neutral wire, which helps balance the power inside a home. She says the malfunction caused more than $2000 in damage.
However, Georgia Power denied her reimbursement claim.
“They agree that the wire broke. They agree that it went out,” Wohlbach said of Georgia Power’s findings.
Despite that, Georgia Power denied her claim after determining it was not negligent, according to a letter provided to Channel 2 Action News.
“They’re policing themselves, and I just have to take their word for it,” Wohlbach said.
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The denial letter claimed severe weather may have caused the problem.
The case is similar to that of Lynn Kaden. She lost more than $ 6,700 after a neutral line failure. No storm caused her loss. In fact, the denial letter said they could not pinpoint the exact cause of the failure, but denied her claim because the company found the failure was not due to Georgia Power’s negligence.
Lauren “Bubba” McDonald Jr., vice chairman of the Georgia Public Service Commission, said situations like these can frustrate customers because they have no alternative electric provider.
“The customer, the customer in this case, does not have an option where they get power from,” McDonald said.
McDonald said PSC staff can review complaints and help bring customers and the utility together to discuss disputes.
In the earlier case, he said he wants Georgia Power officials, PSC staff and engineers to review the evidence together.
“Well, the consumer certainly didn’t do that. And Georgia Power didn’t do that on purpose. But who’s responsible for it?” he said.
In a statement, Georgia Power said it cannot be held responsible for damage caused by events outside the company’s control, including weather and unexpected equipment failures.
The company also said, “We have a responsibility to all of our customers to manage financial claims prudently to help keep rates as low as possible for everyone.”
Wohlbach said she believes there should be more oversight of how those determinations are made.
“If they would at least own up or maybe say what they’re gonna do, tell people what our plan is for checking neutral wire so it doesn’t happen to somebody else,” she said.
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