BajaNomad

CFE - electricity shut off

elskel - 10-6-2012 at 04:19 PM

To All: Has anyone had their power shut off? Left my place with credit to my CFE account. Not quite enough (300 pesos short), my power was shut off. At some point I heard, a new contract would have to be established to re-establish power to the parcel. Anyone have any information.
Thanks Brian

BajaBlanca - 10-6-2012 at 04:38 PM

no new contract for us, we had the same thing happen. If you have an office, go by and pay up and they will come tp turn it back on. I guess they are not hurting for cash cause they sure take their sweet ole time turning it back on. so I have heard.

Otherwise, if there is only a place to pay up, but no CFE office (our case) - we paid the CFE guys the exact amount (they were still around our village) and we were charged a little extra for the reconnection.

DENNIS - 10-6-2012 at 05:03 PM

Yeah....they won't turn it back on unless the reconnect fee is paid. You'll be charged that fee on your next bill even if they don't disconnect you, but your late to pay.
CFE is brutal about this, but they used to be a lot worse.

vandy - 10-6-2012 at 05:19 PM

Yup. I missed a tiny payment a few years ago (47 pesos) and decided to let it slide.
Big mistake! Power turned off within a couple of days. Had to drive to CFE office and get it turned on again.
Oomsapas, on the other hand, can't disconnect your water, or so I'm told.

elskel - 10-6-2012 at 05:38 PM

thanks for the replies, will have a friend bring current and pay the reconnect fee on Mon. Any idea what the reconnect fee is. As I looked at my CFE account today online, they have re-done the CFE website. It is layed out much better now. Also looks like you can pay online with visa or master card. It would not take mine I believe, because I was shut off.
brian

Udo - 10-6-2012 at 05:39 PM

Something else i will need to worry about, when I move down South.

DENNIS - 10-6-2012 at 06:09 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by elskel
Any idea what the reconnect fee is.


Can't recall although I've had to go throught it. It's a little bit of nothing as I recall.....more like a scolding than a fine.

BajaBlanca - 10-7-2012 at 07:20 AM

I can't recall either ....

BTW the phone company is more lenient with small amounts owed but they take days to reconnect if you do get cut off.

Pescador - 10-7-2012 at 07:40 AM

Imagine what would happen if they were more lenient with their bills. In San Bruno it is not unusual for 3 or 4 to be shut off at one time, especially when the fishing is bad. The customers are usually pretty creative though, and you see lots of extension cords going to friends and family houses. Guess we could use that as some kind of " Economic Indicator" .


Elect President _________, he will lower the "Extension Cord Economic Index".

elskel - 10-7-2012 at 04:57 PM

Thanks for the replies. Has anyone paid an electric bill online at the CFE website via credit card?
brian

Feathers - 10-7-2012 at 05:22 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Pescador
In San Bruno it ...

...The customers are usually pretty creative though, and you see lots of extension cords going to friends and family houses. .


I love the San Bruno community. Now I love it even more.:yes:

MitchMan - 10-9-2012 at 10:19 AM

In La Paz, I prepay my CFE for 5 to 7 mos worth of credit. Haven't had the electricity shutoff because I maintain adequate credit balance.

BUT, CFE has tried to overcharge me by telling me that my credit balance is lower than it actually is. They have had to re-establish my correct higher credit balance and adjust their faulty records as I have kept all my invoices and payment receipts for the past 5 years. Happened 3 times in 1.5 years. Their recepts and billings do not show your carry forward account balance. That is a bad accounting procedure and leaves the cutomer at a disadvantage.

Water invoices show the ongoing credit balance carried forward, not so with CFE.

karenintx - 10-9-2012 at 11:08 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by MitchMan
In La Paz, I prepay my CFE for 5 to 7 mos worth of credit. Haven't had the electricity shutoff because I maintain adequate credit balance.

BUT, CFE has tried to overcharge me by telling me that my credit balance is lower than it actually is. They have had to re-establish my correct higher credit balance and adjust their faulty records as I have kept all my invoices and payment receipts for the past 5 years. Happened 3 times in 1.5 years. Their recepts and billings do not show your carry forward account balance. That is a bad accounting procedure and leaves the cutomer at a disadvantage.

Water invoices show the ongoing credit balance carried forward, not so with CFE.


We know the feeling MitchMan. The same thing has happened to us, twice in 15 months. Does that mean we have one more time to look forward to?

The last time it happened the CFE manager in CSL tried to make it very difficult for us to get our credit reissued. He required a letter write in Spanish addressed to CFE requesting our credit be returned to our account, a copy of all of my receipts proving my figures were the correct figures along with copies of our FM-2 and USA passports. He then gave us a time to return to CFE with our paperwork...two days later. My hubby said to the manager..."this paperwork was not required the last time CFE over charged us, so why are you asking for it now...because we are gringos?

All of a sudden he could not understand our question so the hubby called a friend and explained our situation to him. You should have seen the look on his face. The hubby handed the cell phone to the manager and let the two of them talk. Of course the manager could not back down now so we returned as instructed. Two days later as we walked into CFE and before we could sit down in a chair one of the female tellers called us up to her window and handed us a corrected bill. When asked if she needed our paperwork she said "no".

Now that we live here full time we have let the credit run out and pay our bill in person...still want that receipt and do not want to go through this a third time!

bacquito - 10-9-2012 at 01:22 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by elskel
Thanks for the replies. Has anyone paid an electric bill online at the CFE website via credit card?
brian


I do not know about CFE but I tried to pay on line for my water bill and could not because I have a credit.

tiotomasbcs - 10-10-2012 at 10:37 AM

Amigo, I had my power cut off recently, too. $200 p short. Penalty was $100 pesos plus amt due. My buddies on the line helped me out as they had a long list of meters to turn off!! Now if they will just send us Agua Potable more than once a week?! No b-tchin in Baja, verdad. Let me know if I can help you out. Tio

elskel - 10-10-2012 at 02:07 PM

Tomas, How was your trip north? Thanks for the offer I had Ramon run up to T.S. on Monday. Should be back on today.
bk