Billing mistake means higher LCUB gas bills in February
 

Some customers of Lenoir City Utilities Board will be paying extra this month.

It's because they paid less than they should have in December, according to LCUB General Manager Shannon Littleton.

Littleton told 10News that their billing agency undercharged LCUB's 5,600 gas customers in Loudon County and Roane County for gas used in November.

The utility's billing agency made a mistake and moved a decimal over for the purchased gas adjustment, Littleton said.

Customers should have been billed $0.6968 per 100 cubic feet in their December bill for their November usage. Littleton said customers were instead billed $0.06968 per 100 cubic feet.

The average customer will be charged about $40 in their February bill to make up for the mistake, Littleton said. The amount could certainly be more or less than that based on actual gas usage in November.

LCUB has notified affected customers of the mistake by letter and will give customers several months to pay it without interest or penalty.

"It was our mistake and we apologize for it," Littleton said. He indicated that the charge was necessary for the financial health of the utility because customers had actually used the gas and LCUB's gas provider has to be paid.

Littleton said that steps have been taken internally to make sure the mistake does not happen again.