What gives an electric/gas company the authority to overcharge a costumer when they misread the meter?

There was a recent article in which a household was charged more than $1000 for their gas bill, whose monthly gas bill average about $60. Upon further investigation by the news they discovered that the gas company (centerpoint energy) was reading their meter wrong for the past 10 months. in light of this fact center … Continue reading What gives an electric/gas company the authority to overcharge a costumer when they misread the meter?