Residents file complaints over energy bills

A group of local residents filed complaints with the Federal Consumers Agency after receiving high energy bills this month.

The residents invited others on social media to join the protest.

According to La Voz newspaper, one of the residents had a bill charge of 13,000 pesos, or $722.

In some cases, bills rose 1000 percent between July and August.

In the case of Víctor Varela, things were even worse, as his bill climbed from 201 pesos two months ago to 6,534 in August.

The agency received complaints from about 50 residents, the newspaper reported.

“It is not fair,” Mexicali resident Rosa León told the newspaper. “I work in a manufacturing plant and earn 1,300 pesos. Can you imagine?”

Leon filed a report at the Federal Electricity Commission, but staff just

responded they will review the case.

The Federal Consumers Agency’s

director in

Mexicali, Rosa Isela Dávalos, asked residents to file claims at the electricity commission first and, if authorities there do not respond, then the agency can intervene.

She explained the agency has detected commission employees sometimes make consumption estimates and not actual readings of meters.

The commission has not spoken about the controversial bills.