SURFACE OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS. UNDERGROUND LINES TEND TO
PERFORM SUBSTANTIALLY BETTER
DURING SEVERE WEATHER.
ED.
>>> LARA LIVINGSTON IS STILL ON
THE CASE TONIGHT GIVING THE
HOMEOWNERS SOME OPTIONS.
>> Reporter: DIFFERENT HOMES,
DIFFERENT HOMEOWNERS.
ONE THING IN COMMON.
>> IT’S LIKE RIGHT NOW I FEEL
LIKE I’M DAVID AND THIS IS
GOLIATH.
>> THEY HAVE US.
>> Reporter: INSPECTIONS OF
THEIR ELECTRICAL METERS REVEAL
THE METERS HAVE BEEN INTERNALLY
TAMPERED.
THE INNER SEALS WERE REPORTED
MISSING AND THERE WAS BLADE
WEAR.
FPL LAID OUT SIMILARLY DIFFERENT
LETTERS TO THE TWO DIFFERENT
CUSTOMERS.
>> DOES IT NEED A BREAK?
OF COURSE, EVERYTHING BREAKS.
>> Reporter: THEIR ELECTRICAL
BILLS IN THE THOUSANDS.
ELSE PSC SAYS IT HELPED JOSE
CONTACT FPL TO BY A HALF OF HIS
NEARLY $12,000 BILL TO TURN THE
LIGHTS BACK ON.
THE REST IS ON A PAYMENT PLAN.
>> I’M JUST MAKING MY LIFE WORK
BY GETTING THAT TO POWER MY
HOUSE AND DEAL WITH THIS AFTER.
THAT’S WHY I’M TALKING TO YOU.
>> Reporter: WHEN WE MET
MICHELLE LOPEZ SHE’D BEEN
WITHOUT ELECTRICITY FOR TWO
WEEKS.
SHE GOT HIT WITH AN $8,000 POWER
BILL.
>> I DIDN’T TOUCH THEIR METER.
I DIDN’T TOUCH IT.
I DIDN’T PAY ANYBODY TO TOUCH
IT.
I DIDN’T DO ANYTHING.
>> Reporter: FPL SAYS IT STANDS
BY ITS INVESTIGATIONS.
>> THAT’S INSANE.
>> Reporter: ALEXIS FERNANDEZ IS
AN ATTORNEY WHOSE LAW FIRM IS
CURRENTLY BRINGING A
CLASS-ACTION SUIT AGAINST FPL.
IN THAT CASE, CUSTOMERS CLAIM
POOR STORM PREPARATION ON FPL’S
PART LED TO LONG-LASTING,
WIDESPREAD OUTAGES AFTER
HURRICANE IRMA, DESPITE
CUSTOMERS GETTING CHARGED A
STORM FEE.
>> THAT’S ONE OF THE BIGGEST
ISSUES IS THE FEAR THAT I’M
GOING AFTER FLORIDA POWER &
LIGHT, DO I HAVE THE RESOURCES
TO DO SO.
>> Reporter: AND WHEN IT COMES
TO ALLEGATIONS AS SERIOUS AS
METER TAMPERING...
>> A TRIAL COURT CAN DETERMINE
WHETHER A METER, AS A MATTER OF
FACT HAS BEEN IMPROPERLY
REPLACED, TAMPERED WITH OR
ALTERED FOR PURPOSE OF STEALING
ELECTRICAL POWER.
AND YOU DON’T HAVE TO RELY ON
THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION TO
MAKE THAT FINDING.
YOU CAN ASK A JURY OF YOUR PEERS
TO MAKE THAT FACT FINDING.
>> Reporter: THAT’S WHAT AN
APPEALS COURT FOUND IN RAMOS
VERSUS FLORIDA POWER & LIGHT,
RULING THE PSC DID NOT HAVE
EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OVER THE
CASE INVOLVING A FARMER WHOSE
POWER WAS DISCONNECTED AMID A
METER TAMPERING INVESTIGATION.
>> THE LAW REALLY DOES JUSTLY
APPLY TO EVERYONE, INCLUDING A
MONO BALLISTIC POWER LIKE FPL.
>> YOU’VE BEEN SUCH A BLESSING.
>> Reporter: IT WASN’T UNTIL
AFTER MICHELLE CONTACTED US AND
WE SPOKE TO FP&L AND ASKED A
BUNCH OF QUESTIONS.
THEN A CREW WAS SENT OUT TO
MICHELLE’S HOME LATE ONE SUMMER
NIGHT.
>> QUAY, PUT SOME THINGS IN, HE
TIGHTENED IT AND PUT THE METER
IN.
OKAY, AND THEN WE HAD POWER.
>> Reporter: SHE’S SINCE FILED A
COMPLAINT WITH THE PSC, ENROLLED
IN A PAYMENT PLAN AND NOW
WEIGHING HER LEGAL OPTIONS.
>> THIS IS A LOT.
>> YES, IT IS.
>> AT LEAST THE POWER’S ON.
>> Reporter: LARA LIVINGSTON,
LOCAL 10 NEWS.
>>> THE PUBLIC SERVICE
COMMISSION SAYS QHOWFERS ARE NOT
PLEASED WITH THEIR COMPLAINT
RESOLUTIONS CAN BRING THEIR