If Jeffrey Drischler had it to do all over again, he wouldn't have done it.

And he agreed to share his story as a warning to the 520,000 residential customers of the Duquesne Light Co.

Don't tamper with the company's electric meters.

"It was a stupid thing to do," Mr. Drischler said.

I won't argue with that assessment, especially when you consider the longterm consequences of his action. He and his wife, Tammy, both 51, haven't had regular electric service in their Lawrenceville home since October. They relied on kerosene heaters to make it through the winter and use candles and oil lamps for light.

"It's no way to live," he said.

Mr. Drischler said it all began in October, when he received a shut-off notice from Duquesne Light for failing to pay his monthly budget amount of $78. He called the company, apologized for the oversight and said he would borrow enough money to make a double payment by Oct. 31.

The customer service representative said the payment would have to be made by Oct. 29 or his electrical service would be shut off.

Mr. Drischler, who has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and other medical problems, receives a $1,313 disability payment from Social Security every month. It is the couple's only income. He asked for a two-day delay on the shutoff, saying he needed electricity to operate a machine that helps him breathe when he has an asthma attack.

His electricity was shut off Oct. 29.

"I called Duquesne Light immediately and asked what I needed to do to get my service restored," Mr. Drischler said. "I was told to send two budget payments totaling $156 and a $50 reconnection fee. I paid that amount at the Bloomfield Drug store on Oct. 31 and then called Duquesne Light. I was told our service would be restored in 24 hours."

Unfortunately, there is a lapse of three to five business days before such off-site payments are recorded on a customer's account.

When two to three days passed without power, Mr. Drischler called Duquesne Light. "I was told I should have paid $295. When I called the next day to confirm that amount before I paid it, I was told I had to pay $345. I was furious. Three different customer service people gave me three different amounts. The last one said I could appeal to the Public Utility Commission if I wanted to challenge the amount."

He did.

A day or two later he suffered a severe asthma attack. "I couldn't breathe," he said. "I needed my Nebulizer machine to help me breathe. I went outside and restored my electrical service. I know how to do it because I used to disconnect and reconnect electrical meters when I worked for a Millvale company years ago. It's called booting the meter.

"It was a mistake on my part," he said. "I was in a panic. The Nebulizer keeps me out of the emergency room. My neighbor wasn't home so I wasn't able to go over there and use the machine. I gave myself three treatments lasting about 15 to 20 minutes each before I settled down."

A Duquesne Light field representative came out a few days later and put a lock on the meter.

"I tried to explain why I [tampered with it], but he didn't want to hear it," he said. "He told me I would have to obtain a 'wiring approval' from a certified electrician licensed by the city before my service would be restored."

Mr. Drischler is looking for an electrician who will do the work for free or for a minimal fee. "We're on a limited income," he said. "My wife is unable to work and we don't have any extra money."

Although Duquesne Light will restore service for medical reasons if a physician explains in writing why it's necessary, Mr. Drischler said the PUC told him that safety concerns take precedence over a medical excuse.

Duquesne Light spokesman Joseph Vallarian said the company has given Mr. Drischler the names of electricians who can do the wiring-approval work.

"That has to be done by a qualified electrician because there's a safety aspect for the customer and for the company and also a liability aspect for the company. We will reconnect his service as soon as he gets the wiring approval," Mr. Vallarian said. "Then we will work with him on his bill. We will also give him the names and phone numbers of agencies who help low income individuals with their utility bills."

I'll keep you posted.