"it is a complex formula that never made it into the fliers"

Xcel's complicated rate changes jolt some customers

Turns out Xcel decided to prorate June usage in a complex formula that never made it into the fliers or onto its website telling customers about the two-tier structure and how it will work.

"I think what we did was give (customers) a good idea of what was to be expected in the first full month," Xcel spokesman Tom Henley said. "Let's face it, explaining the proration in a system that's already complex enough was probably one of those things we pushed to the back burner."

That quickly became the front burner when the first of the new two-tier bills started showing up June 2 and consumers saw a lot of numbers that didn't jibe with Xcel's explanation.

"It's crazy. They print on the bill nonsummer and summer rates, but in the end, it's not how they described it," said Judith Close of Denver, whose bill had a single day of June.


My take :
It is just a stepwise defined function using reverse cost averaging. Come on people it is not that hard. The important thing is you do not have the information to prove you are right. We don’t have the information to prove were wrong? So pay the bill and shut your cake hole.

And the little guy gets the shaft