Jackson Woman Without Power; Looking For Answers
JACKSON, Tenn.- One Jackson woman claims her electricity was shut off without warning, even thought her bills were paid. Jackson Energy Authority officials said it is an issue of ownership that now has this family paying the consequences of an unfortunate mishap. Mother of three, Jennifer Poole said she came home to find her utility service pole lying on the ground and her kids waiting with their babysitter in the dark Friday afternoon. She made several calls to Jackson Energy officials to find out what had happened to her service. Jackson Energy Officials said they terminated service only after discovering the service pole was in a dangerous condition with rot at its base. “You could have damaging to the wiring, which could create a house fire. You can have a public safety concern with people walking up to hot wires,” said JEA Senior Manager Sam Turner. Poole said she had no idea that her service pole was in bad condition. She believes disconnecting her electricity without notice has cost her weeks worth of spoiled groceries that her family depends on. “I just think they still should have given us notice or should have called or left a note or something instead of leaving us just wondering what happened,” said Poole. ” I work hard, my husband works hard, it’s like our money is going into the trash.” Officials said because the service pole belongs to the property owner, which in this case is Poole’s landlord, they are not responsible for repairing or replacing the pole. Poole said it is one of the unfair consequences of being a renter. “I just don’t know what to do. I’m stuck in the middle,” said Poole. Poole said she does not know when her electricity will be restored because her landlord is out of town. JEA officials advise customers to check service equipment often for rot by digging at least two or three inches down into the dirt around the service pole’s base. “Keep an eye on any property or any structure that you have. Make sure it doesn’t have rot or decay, if it appears that it’s decayed, it’s a good time to replace it before something like this happens,” said Turner. Poole said after JEA officials learned that her family had nowhere else to go, they provided her family with a place to stay for two nights, even after claiming it was the landlord’s responsibility.
