A Fresno family says PG&E cut off their power on the Fourth of July and later accused them of energy fraud before service was restored nearly a week later.
Jessica Sicairos said she was away from home when she learned the utilities had been disconnected, according to FOX26/KMPH. When she contacted PG&E, she said she was first told the company could not explain why the power had been shut off.
The family said they were later told the shutoff was tied to unpaid bills. The family spent six days without power in triple-digit heat before service was restored.
The Family Was Later Accused of Meter Tampering
A Fresno family spent the Fourth of July without electricity after PG&E cut off their utilities and accused them of energy fraud, leaving them to endure days of triple-digit heat while trying to get answers.https://t.co/Uboj4LCF4Q
— FOX26 News (@KMPHFOX26) July 11, 2026
FOX26 reported that Sicairos learned about the shutoff while she was at the grocery store. She said she received a call that the utilities had been disconnected and contacted PG&E on her way back home.
According to Sicairos, the first explanation did not give the family a clear answer. She said PG&E told her it could not say why the utilities had been disconnected, leaving the family trying to determine whether the issue involved billing, the meter, or another account problem.
They said they were initially told the power had been cut because of unpaid bills, but they disputed that and said the account was not behind. Sicairos said PG&E representatives then accused her of meter tampering, meter fraud, and energy theft. She told FOX26 she knew she was not responsible for the alleged tampering and believed the accusation wrongly placed the blame on her household.
The Bills Pointed to a Possible Meter Mix-Up
The family later discovered they had been paying for energy connected to the house next door. They believe the issue may have started with a meter installation mix-up, rather than any intentional wrongdoing by the family.
Sicairos said the situation should have been caught earlier and argued that the company should not have treated the matter as fraud before resolving which meter was tied to which home.
The Family Lived Out of a Trailer During the Outage
The shutoff left the family without electricity for six days during a stretch of triple-digit heat. Sicairos said the family had been suffering and trying to make the best of the situation while waiting for service to return.
During that period, the family lived out of a trailer.
The report did not say whether PG&E offered temporary support before the station contacted the company about the case.
Power Was Restored After FOX26 Contacted PG&E
After FOX26 contacted PG&E, a company representative told Sicairos that help was on the way and said the family should not remain without power while the investigation continued.
The power was eventually restored after additional waiting. The PG&E representative also apologized during the call, saying the company could not change what had happened but could fix the situation going forward.
PG&E said it will continue investigating the issue. The report did not say whether the company had formally removed the fraud accusation, corrected the billing records, or determined how the meters became connected to the wrong homes.
Sicairos said she still wants accountability for the accusation and the days her family spent without power.
Utility Customers Should Match Bills to the Actual Meter
Customers who believe a regulated utility has mishandled billing, service disconnection, or a meter dispute can first contact the utility directly and ask for written documentation.
If the dispute is not resolved, the California Public Utilities Commission says its Consumer Affairs Branch helps consumers resolve disputes with regulated utility providers.
Complaints involving PG&E service can be filed through the California Public Utilities Commission utility complaint process. Customers should keep copies of all bills, notices, payments, meter photos, and written responses while the complaint is pending.