Odessa Approves Refund for Energy Cost Adjustment Error

City to provide credits or checks to residents impacted by miscalculation in utility bills.

Mar. 27, 2026 at 3:39am

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The Odessa Board of Aldermen has approved a bill to provide refunds to residents who were overcharged on their utility bills due to an error in the city's Energy Cost Adjustment formula. City staff discovered the issue earlier this month and will be issuing credits or checks to affected customers.

Why it matters

The Energy Cost Adjustment is a formula used by many municipalities to account for fluctuations in the cost of electricity and other utilities. When the formula is miscalculated, it can lead to residents being overcharged, making this refund an important step in ensuring fairness and transparency in Odessa's utility billing practices.

The details

According to Public Information Coordinator Leslie Shier, the city's ECA formula did not align with the city's ordinance, potentially leading to higher charges on customer utility bills. The refunds will be calculated based on each customer's utility bill history and how long they have lived in the city.

  • The Odessa Board of Aldermen approved the refund bill during its meeting on Wednesday, March 25th, 2026.
  • City staff discovered the ECA formula error earlier this month.

The players

Odessa Board of Aldermen

The governing body of the city of Odessa, Texas that approved the refund bill.

Leslie Shier

The Public Information Coordinator for the city of Odessa who explained the details of the refund program.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident

What’s next

The city will begin issuing credits or checks to affected customers in the coming weeks.

The takeaway

This case highlights the importance of municipalities closely monitoring their utility billing formulas and practices to ensure fairness and transparency for residents. The Odessa refund program demonstrates a responsible approach to addressing a technical error that impacted customer bills.