Nashvillians Blame Their Plasma TVs

Nashville Electric is still getting a lot of negative publicity for high utility bills, but here's an interesting twist. A review by an independent electrical engineer shows that, if anything, the meters are erring in the customer's favor.

There is no way for the utility companies to speed them up or for the customers to slow them down, said Ralph Parsons, an electrical engineer and adjunct Tennessee State University professor who reviewed several bills.

"Meters are fairly accurate," said Parsons, a project manager for Parsons Engineering Inc. in Nashville. "I tested meters, and they never speed up. They slow down when friction wears on the bearings."

There's also some speculation that plasma TVs (in combination with the Tennessee Valley Authority's 9.1 rate increase, the more than 20 percent fuel cost adjustment, and extra days tacked on to bills and the cold weather) could be part of the problem too.

Read the story: High electric bills match power used.

PHOTO CREDIT: LARRY MCCORMACK / THE TENNESSEAN