In article , "Ray" wrote:

One of the mysteries is that the number on the meter and on the bill
coincide precisely. It's the readings that don't coincide.

I was beginning to wonder if you were reading the meter correctly, until I
read this sentence:

Ours are
consistent -- the company's readings are wildly erratic, even chaotic.

Now, I wonder if the meter reader is reading it correctly.

We had that problem at our previous house, when the power company put a new
guy on the route without proper training. After the fourth consecutive month
of wildly incorrect meter readings -- and the power company's adamant refusal
to believe that their employee could possibly be reading the meter wrong -- I
finally printed out a diagram similar to the ones shown here

http://www.mesaaz.gov/custserv/read_meter.aspx

and taped it to the meter, prominently labeled "HOW TO READ A UTILITY METER"
in large, bold, red type. End of problem.