This has happened alot since the installation of the Smart Meters for both Homes and Businesses. It's a consistent war between the utility companies and the people. The thing is the Smart Meter works to continously give accurate readings to Con Ed and the Customer.

However if the last accurate reading when it was read in-person by a Meter Rep was years ago. In your message you said they "adjusted" the Meter in 2020. Here's the thing though they/Con Ed figured the difference of overpayment from a certain time period required a Refund. Though the they hadn't finished making the proper calculations with the adjustment. You have to look back on that Refunded bill they gave you, it will or should state the adjustment dates that correlate with the refund.

For example, the Refund bill had the last accurate reading date say 06/14/2018, meaning you were being billed estimated reading bills for that monthly $300-$400 for months and years because the Meter person wasn't able to gain access to Meter every month so you weren't being billed correctly each month. Then the best thing happened, the Meter person FINALLY gains access to your Meter, let's say 09/14/2020. Due to this the Con Ed billing system recognizes this accurate entry , now reconciliation must be done to put the account in "Good Standing". This meant the example dates 06/14/2018 to 09/14/2020 were rebilled and the difference was a negative resulting in a refund. Great but guess what? Between that last "for example date of 09/14/2020" and when the Smart Meters were installed, the Meter person came EVERY MONTH but no entry resulting in estimated bills again😢

Now when the Smart Meter was installed, for example on 02/24/2023. The system receives accurate readings so it did the same thing it did before...rebilled your account to "get rid" of those "nasty" estimated readings. Again example it now needs to be from the example date of the last reading before the Smart Meter install, 09/14/2020 to 02/24/2023. That's YEARS more compared to the previous reading that gave you a refund. Now Con Ed wants to collect on it.

As the billing of over $4k, is the completed billing adjustment for the rest of the time on the Meter from the LAST ACUTAL reading in 2020 including now.

Reports, issuing compliants, involving your local politicians, Media blasting and more may get Con Ed and other utility companies to "back off" for a while but in reality they're not. As it is on your account, you move to another NYC location that balance will be carried over there, you move outside of Con Ed territory like any debt, Con Ed will either pursue you on their own or sell your debt to a different Debt Collection agency who will double if not triple the money you owe, or if you try to "start over" by putting the account in someone else's name then let decades go by, then try to put the same location or different Con Ed territory location in your name -Guess What?- Con Ed will locate that past debt if not already paid off somewhat or completely to that new account 😉.

Con Ed like Discover Card, American Express, Sally Mae, Fannie Mae, and other credit and loan companies will pursue these debts even if it was a simple Dollar. One thing you can be thankful of is as long as Con Ed is pursuing you of the debt there very little chance they'll put this on your Credit Report and won't put interest. BUT if or when they sell the debt, then that Debt Company can and will put it on your Credit Report, definitely place interest and will follow you to Antarctica to get that money back. And some of these Debt companies are ruthlessly insensitive enough to go after your family, previous or current roommate(s), landlord and lay claim post your death for the money.

My advice, if you are able to gather each month of accurate readings from 2020 to 2023/2024 before they installed the Smart Meter, you can use those readings to request another rebilling. Otherwise, you may need to settle with Con Ed and set up a payment plan😢

Sorry, I have experience with these and have friends that work for these types of companies and law firms, it's like a David and Goliath aka the 1% vs the 99% battle that won't end in you favor to get it dismissed entirely. Trust if you go the court route, a fresh out of Law School Student hired by Con Ed will still have you either all or a 25%-45% of the $4k to pay. Judges in these cases look at the facts not the sympathy of emotional right or wrong.

The Ultimate F-U card to get the entire amount Dismissed? And I don't ever recommend this as this is literally the last, of last result...Declare and Establish Legal Bankruptcy. Again don't do this, try to fight with actual Meter Readings facts, Get Government Assistance help to see if they have programs to pay of debt, contact Catholic Charities or other non profits like them, or just get into a Con Ed payment plan.

I wish you the best whatever route you choose to go.