It may not sound like a problem at first, but one local woman says her bill backup dragged on for more than seven months.
Since she's on a fixed income, she was deeply concerned about what she could eventually owe.
"I got the same answer. 'All your bills are pending,'" Bettyann Koblich said.
When Berwyn resident Koblich stopped receiving her electric bills last fall, she says she made repeated calls to ComEd. She says got the runaround, and says she was told that the delay was due to a computer issue.
"So then I said, 'well, when can I expect a bill?' 'Well, we're still working on it. We'll get it to you as soon as we can,'" Koblich said.
Koblich also says she was unable to see a balance online; so, she called the I-Team.
"Because I wanted to make sure that I could pay. I didn't want them to shut off my electric and that. And they told me, 'oh, no, no, we'll never shut off your electric. We're still working on your case.' When I called you, then I got my bills," Koblich said.
The bills, she said, made no sense, and had several different balances owed, over several months.
She thought she could have owed $2,000 or more.
"I can't pay that," Koblich said.
The I-Team reached out to ComEd again, and it was determined she owed much less, just more than $400.
ComEd said it discovered a problem with her smart meter, adding: "On rare occasions, we do encounter technology or equipment issues that impact billing. Once we are made aware of these issues, we act quickly to find a resolution, then work directly with the customer to ensure payment of past-due balances are manageable for the customer."
This isn't the first time tech problems have impacted ComEd's billing process.In February 2024, the I-Team reported that some ComEd customers couldn't log into their accounts to access their bills. Others were given incorrect balances when calling ComEd's number for assistance. The issues stemmed from a system upgrade that left many consumers concerned about paying on time or being charged late fees, but ComEd said consumers would not face late fees.
Koblich's bill did not have any late fees either. ComEd says it works with people in her situation if they need time to pay, but she did pay the $400 balance.
If you are having a similar issue, you can always set aside money based on what you think you may owe every month. But many consumers want to see that bill and have peace of mind, and no surprises.