‘We’ve all lost something’
BROWNSVILLE – Centerville resident Tiffany Watson recently replaced her home’s HVAC unit, television, dishwasher and microwave – adding up to thousands of dollars she says are owed to her by her electric provider.
“I’d like to see West Penn Power held accountable for damages,” she said. “I’m tired of the excuses.”
Watson isn’t alone.
About 50 Centerville-area residents with similar stories in which appliances and equipment in their homes have been ruined gathered Sunday for an informational meeting organized by Watson. The residents believe frequent power surges – temporary spikes in voltage within an electrical circuit – are the cause.
“When I started talking to people about this, I couldn’t believe how many were affected,” said Watson. “We’ve all lost something.”
Watson said frequent power surges have been occurring for years, with the most recent string occurring during the week of Sept. 11. Many residents held up letters from West Penn Power, a subsidiary of First Energy Corp., denying requests to reimburse them for appliances that were damaged during that week.
State Rep. Pam Snyder, D-Jefferson, who attended the meeting in the Denbo Vesta Six fire hall, said the state Public Utility Commission (PUC) is involved.
“They are launching a full investigation into what is going on here,” Snyder said.
Snyder’s office is filing a collective formal complaint with the PUC. Nate Regotti, Snyder’s chief of staff, outlined the steps for residents and advised them to record all information related to power surge incidents, including dates, times and what equipment was affected.
Regotti said the PUC complaint can result in up to $500 per incident for affected residents. Those looking to recuperate more would have to file individual lawsuits against the power company, he said.
Before a complaint can be filed with the PUC, residents must first file a claim with West Penn Power.
“There is no doubt they are going to deny,” Regotti said.
First Energy spokesman Todd Myers could not immediately be reached for comment after the meeting. He previously told the Observer-Reporter the company has “not seen anything like that in that area.”
Watson said she didn’t invite anyone from West Penn Power because she wanted the meeting to be a “peaceful discussion.”
Residents aren’t the only ones concerned about power disruptions. Chief Derrek White of Denbo Vesta Six said the fire station has been impacted. He said the electronic sign in front of the station wasn’t working, and, as recently as Friday morning, a surge caused alarms and pagers to activate.
“The trouble is, if we don’t have communication here, we can’t come to you in an emergency,” he said. “We need to get this thing nipped in the bud and have things working here at all times.”