A Fresno family spent the Fourth of July without electricity after PG&E cut off their utilities and accused them of energy fraud, leaving them to endure days of triple-digit heat while trying to get answers.
For six days, the family lived out of a trailer as they fought to have their power restored.
“We’ve been suffering trying to make the best of the situation. It’s very hot,” Jessica Sicairos, who was accused of energy fraud, said.
Sicairos said she learned the utilities had been shut off while she was away.
“I was at the grocery store and I got to call that utilities were disconnected. On my way back home, I called them and they told me they were unable to tell me why my utilities were disconnected,” she said.
The family was initially told the shutoff was because they had not paid their bills, but they said that was not true.
They were then accused of meter tampering.
The family later found they were paying for energy for the house next door, and they believe the problem stemmed from a meter installation mix-up.
“I was falsely accused of meter tampering and meter fraud and I knew that I was not responsible for it,” Sicairos said.
After FOX26 contacted PG&E about the situation, a PG&E representative told the family help was on the way.
“They are coming today,” the representative said on the phone with Sicairos. “I do not want you to be without power while I continue the Investigation.”
Even with the restoration underway, Sicairos said she still wanted accountability for the accusations.
“Me being falsely accused by multiple people at PG&E for energy theft and Meter tampering and meter crossing meter fraud all the terms used by your representatives in your department,” she said. “You guys flip the story and try to make it about me and me getting behind on my bill.”
The PG&E representative apologized.
“I can only apologize for that. I can’t change what’s happened, but I can fix it,” the representative said.
After additional waiting, the power came back on, bringing relief in the heat.
The family said there had been multiple instances where someone should have noticed the meters were attached to the wrong house, and they believe that if they had not stood their ground, they would have had to pay a fraud charge.
Their message to others, they said, is to check your meter and your bill and hold those in power accountable.
PG&E said it will continue investigating the issue.