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dpb

wrote:
Just rented this office space 2 months ago. It is a new business so I
don't really have much here that draws electricity yet. I have a PC/
modem/router, mini 1.7 Cu. Ft fridge, and 3 40W fluorescent lights.
The pc is on for 6 hours, 4 days a week. The fridge is obliviously on
24/7. the lights are hardly use. Did not use the heat but it is gas
anyway, the AC is still off, no need for it yet.

My March bill stated that I used 700KWH, April was 710KWH and May was
again, 708KWH. ...
the electric company ...said everything looks OK ...

I bought a kill-a-watt and according to it; the fridge is using 22KWH/
month, the PC is using 1.4KWH in the 6 hours it is on daily. That adds
up to about 42KWH assuming 30 days usage. The light are hardly used
but I'll give it another 20KWH.

All this adds up to 84KWH and I am paying for 700KWH. What is going
on? ...

Sounds like more than you is on the meter to me most likely. Are you
supposed to have a meter serving your space only? If you turn
everything off and unplug the fridge for a moment and look at the meter,
is it still running? Bet it is...

Do you have access to the leadin and breaker panel to investigate
where/how wiring goes? Might give a clue as to what/who else is on the
service.

Isn't unknown for somebody to tap in illicitly, either...that's
something to at least check for -- in a commercial building, perhaps an
unscrupulous other tenant has done something untoward...

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