Pacific Power faces complaints over power shutoffs and historical billing errors

Pacific Power's recent power shutoffs have raised concerns among Klamath County irrigators, as the utility company enters its annual phase of de-energization during windy or potentially fire-prone events. Last week, several irrigators reported outages lasting over an hour, contradicting earlier assurances from Pacific Power that such disruptions would be minimized.

Dave, a representative from the county, has been actively communicating with Pacific Power to address these ongoing issues. He emphasized the importance of feedback from the community, as the power outages continue to impact local farmers.

Another pressing concern is the problem of historical billing. When smart meters connected to irrigation pumps fail or disconnect, Pacific Power resorts to billing based on historical usage. This can lead to significant charges for irrigators who are not actually using their pumps. Dave urged farmers to carefully review their power bills to ensure they are not being unfairly charged.

In response to these issues, the board has directed Dave to file complaints and gather evidence from various irrigation districts. The historical billing problem poses a serious financial risk for farmers, as they could receive hefty bills for periods when their pumps were not operational. The county is committed to addressing these challenges to protect the interests of local irrigators.