JournalStar.com

Data file glitches lead to Black Hills mail mistakes

By the Lincoln Journal Star
Saturday, Jul 19, 2008 - 12:47:28 am CDT
The change in ownership of eastern Nebraska natural gas service from Aquila to Black Hills Corp. came with glitches associated with data files, Black Hills said.

More than 1,000 Nebraska customers are getting letters from Black Hills that may include a mistaken notice that their service is being terminated, said Black Hills spokesman Bob McKeon.

Customers can tell if their letter is a mistake by checking the date; mistakes are dated February 2008, he said. 

Those customers will get clarifying letters of apology that were mailed Friday, he said.

Any customer with doubts about the communication should call Black Hills service at (888) 890-5554, he said.

In addition, more than 4,400 Nebraska customers received credit twice for a payment they’ve made, McKeon said. All but 209 of those mistakes were reversed, he said. Those customers have been sent a bill that mistakenly shows the double credit. Clarifying letters to those customers went out Friday.  

If a customer gets a bill that doesn’t look right, he said, call the 888 number.

Black Hills now has about 200,000 customers in eastern Nebraska. On Monday, it took over Aquila’s natural gas system in Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas and Colorado formerly owned by Aquila.  There are 600,000 customers in the four states.