The Knucklehead of the Day award

Today's winner is the CMS Energy Corp also known as Consumers energy. They get today's Knucklehead for cutting off the power to the home of Jacqueline Williams. Ms. Williams was behind in paying her bill. By one penny!

Now I'll grant that Williams had recent history of trouble paying her bill, and Consumers was within its right. But one penny? Why didn't anyone at this company see this and just give up a damn penny. I'm sure it cost more to disconnect than the penny that was owed. Hell I'd given up a penny. What if this was winter and they cut off heat for a penny. The woman dies and a hell of a wrongful death lawsuit gets filed. May not win, but the legal costs will be huge. This decision was just dumb.

For risking alot over so little, CMS Energy Corp is today's Knucklehead of the day.

Open Post- Jo's Cafe, Bright & Early, Mudville Gazette, Outside the Beltway,

FLINT, Mich. - It was just a penny, but to Consumers Energy it was enough to cut off power in a local home. Jacqueline Williams, 41, of Flint had an electricity bill of $1,662.08 and paid all of it, except for one cent. That wasn't enough for the power company, which blacked her out for seven hours Wednesday.

The CMS Energy Corp. subsidiary told Williams the power would not be turned on until the penny was received.

"I went down there, paid my penny and got a receipt," Williams told The Flint Journal.

Shortly after, the electricity was turned back on.

"All of this for one penny," said Williams, who went to the state Department of Human Services for help in April and was told the agency would pay most of the bill.

But she was still short more than $500.

Williams, a Social Security recipient, went to the Salvation Army, where she received $430.67, and Consumers agreed to match $430.66 toward the bill.

However, she was still one cent short.

A Consumers Energy spokesman said that the utility had no choice in the matter, though he was not aware of any similar incidents where service was stopped for one cent.

"This was the first one I've heard about," said Terry DeDoes. He said the company has many programs to help people who fall behind in their utility bills.

Cross posted to Bullwinkle Blog