ENERGY CORRUPTION SCANDAL Southern City With California Size Energy Problems!

The bills of California energy customers are being used to uncover years of over inflated electric bills of thousands of Georgia residents. Fed up customers, who pay as much as $500 per month with little usage, have formed an association and wild inconsistencies are being discovered in their billing history. They are fighting for a one-rate plan and payback for the years of incorrect charges.

Douglas, GA (PRWEB) August 2, 2004 -- The Douglas Energy Relief Association,DERA, has exposed Douglas, Georgia's price gouging of its residents with the city's inconsistent and over inflated energy bills. The association, which is made up of outraged energy customers, is steadily growing in numbers and is fast gaining media attention towards its efforts. Interestingly enough, the bills of California energy customers are being used as evidence to blow the lid off of this scandal.

Imagine, you're living in a mobile home on a fixed income and you're being charged $500 a month or more for your electric bill! Meanwhile, wealthier residents in your city are living in large estates and are only being charged $100 a month! Think it couldn't happen in your city, think again! This is the true story of the harsh reality that thousands of Douglas, Georgia residents have endured for years.

Evidence of corruption has already surfaced in the wildly inconsistent energy bills of DERA's members. With signs reading, "Stop the City From Robbing the People", DERA members are affirmed of their cause by listening to the inconsistencies found in the data compiled from its members' billing histories. Analyzing the data has revealed that customers have long been charged rates higher than the established 8 cents per kilowatt hour. Even more outrageous, others have bills showing usage of over four thousand kilowatt hours, hours that could only be racked up by a large commercial property.

Further evidence compares DERA members' bills to those in California with larger homes and a higher 14 cents per kilowatt hour rate. One example is of a California retiree's $63 bill for his 2300 sq. ft. home, with usage of only 524 kilowatt hours for the month!

After continually hearing about the struggles that fellow residents were enduring, Edward Freeman and his daughter, DERA President Vera Freeman, rallied residents to form the Douglas Energy Relief Association. "The City has been put on notice. If anyone else with the power wants to come and settle it, then come in and settle it. If it does not get settled, we will file a complaint with the state regulatory agency, and if we can't get a solution there, we'll file a suit," said Freeman.

Much to the dismay of the city and its governing officers, DERA has held meetings every week for the past three months. Its membership has grown,
despite building owners denying DERA's public assembly due to city government pressure. This has resulted in meetings being held in Freeman's
home.

"We will not stop until we have a one-rate plan and the meters are done away with," said Freeman. She also stated that she wants the city to pay
residents back all the money they are owed for years of overcharging them on their utility bills. Although Douglas's Mayor Tony Paulk claims that a one-rate plan will cripple the city, Freeman says that the city is already crippling its citizens with unfair bills that impose too much burden on the poorest citizens.

To contact DERA please call President Vera Freeman at (912) 393-3922.

Editorial Contact:
Vera Freeman
(912) 393-3922
glorybetogodmedssvcs@alltel.net