What to Know
- PECO revealed they pulled the plug on dozens of street lights in Narberth, after discovering they were running on free electricity for decades.
- A spokeswoman for PECO told NBC10 they first discovered in October 2020 a metering and billing issue of approximately 80 street lights that were owned, operated and maintained by Narberth.
- The spokeswoman said PECO had a productive meeting with Narberth officials Thursday afternoon and plan to restore service to the street lights.
Who turned off the lights? For several months it was a question asked by business owners and shoppers dealing with unusually dark conditions in the downtown area in Narberth Borough, Pennsylvania.
Dan Gold, owner of Danny's Guitar Shop, told NBC10 it was tough for him to do lessons outside his store at night, especially during the dark winter.
"We do porch lessons and porch performances and the lights didn't come on," Gold said.
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It turns out that whether you’re an average Joe or an entire borough, you still need to pay your electricity bill.
PECO revealed they pulled the plug on dozens of street lights in Narberth, after discovering they were running on free electricity for decades.
A spokeswoman for PECO told NBC10 they first discovered in October 2020 a metering and billing issue of approximately 80 street lights that were owned, operated and maintained by Narberth. PECO then cut the electricity for those lights.
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“We have been in close communication with the borough since then to resolve this issue and have the street lights properly metered going forward,” the spokeswoman wrote. “All street lights need to be properly metered to ensure proper billing and reliable electric service.”
One street light costs an average of $90 a year to power, leading to an annual unpaid cost of $7200.
The Daily Times reported Narberth had to pay around $80,000 to fix the issue. Borough officials believe an unidentified person gave them an unauthorized electrical hookup on many of Narberth’s downtown street lights 20 years ago, according to the Daily Times.
"It's crazy, I don't know how they got away with it all this time," Bonnie Bernstein, a manager at the Narberth jewelry store, A Brandt + Son, told NBC10.
The spokeswoman said PECO had a productive meeting with Narberth officials Thursday afternoon and plan to restore service to the street lights.
“We will be restoring service to the impacted street lights as quickly and safely as possible, weather dependent, while they continue to make all necessary changes and adjustments to their equipment,” the spokeswoman wrote.
That's welcome news for many residents, including Kellee Williams.
"I'm glad they're here to fix it," Williams said. "We do need our lights. It's a safety concern for the entire community."
