In early August, Duong Van Tam's family, residing in Lien Vinh hamlet, Hai Binh ward, received a shocking electricity bill of nearly 9.8 million VND for July. This was over eight times higher than their previous bill, despite no change in their household's electricity usage.
Tam explained that his family's electricity consumption is typically minimal, using appliances like lights, fans, a refrigerator, and a rice cooker. They do not own an air conditioner or any other high-energy-consuming devices. Their bills for the first six months of the year ranged from nearly 440,000 VND to just over 1.2 million VND.
Their June bill, at the start of the summer peak season, was 1.2 million VND. However, the July bill saw an unprecedented surge, even though the family hadn't used any additional appliances.
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The electricity pole next to Tam's house is cluttered with power lines and telecom cables. Photo: Family provided. |
Initially suspecting a meter reading error, Tam requested an inspection, but no discrepancies were found. The Nghi Son Power branch then investigated and confirmed a leak in the power line after the meter, caused by a telecom cable damaging the insulation. The power company demanded full payment for the excess electricity and advised Tam to file a complaint with the telecom companies, but "the telecom providers initially refused to take responsibility," he said.
On 5/8, Nguyen Quang Hung, head of the Nghi Son Power Management Team, stated that upon receiving the complaint, they immediately collaborated with relevant parties to find a solution.
According to Hung, the unusual increase in Tam's meter reading and electricity bill was due to a telecom cable cutting into and damaging the insulation of the power line, causing the electricity to leak.
Following a meeting on the afternoon of 4/8 between the power company, the telecom provider, and Tam, a telecom company representative accepted responsibility and agreed to compensate Tam for the 8.6 million VND overcharge in his July bill. The company also covered the cost of the leaked electricity incurred during the first three days of August.
"This is a rare incident caused by a telecom technician improperly installing the cable, coupled with prolonged storms and wind that exposed the wire and led to the leak," Hung added.
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The telecom cable running alongside Tam's power line was knotted, improperly installed, and tore the power line's insulation. Photo: Family provided. |
Following the incident, the Nghi Son Power branch has urged telecom companies to inspect their entire cable systems sharing power poles to ensure compliance with safety standards and prevent similar risks to other electricity users.
The Nghi Son Power branch currently supplies electricity to over 52,000 customers across eight wards and communes within the former Nghi Son town.
In Thanh Hoa province, the Thanh Hoa Power Company has granted permission to seven telecom providers: FPT, SCTV, VNPT, Mobifone, Viettel, VNPT Net 1, and VTVCab to share over 9,320 power poles for running cables to residential areas.
Le Hoang
