Lismore residents with flood-damaged homes still received bills from energy companies

An aerial drone view of Lismore homes surrounded by flood water in March. Residents say they have been billed for estimated electricity charges while their homes were uninhabitable. Photograph: Dan Peled/Getty Images

Lismore residents whose flood-damaged homes have been uninhabitable for months have received bills for hundreds of dollars from energy providers, based on estimated power usage.

Lismore resident Ella Buckland only moved back home with her young daughter last week following flooding in February, and still does not have a meter, but in that time Origin Energy has sent her two invoices for estimated electricity charges.