Electricity Rates

[Parallax]

Was just looking at my electric bill, comparing what we paid per month last year (before the wood stove went in, when we were trying to heat the place with space heaters because the propane needed for the radiant system was even worse). Last winter, we were paying between $200 and $300 in the dead of winter. This year, we're paying less than $25 for electricity. Don't know yet how many cords we'll burn but I'm guessing 3 to 4.

This is in Washington state, where electricity is cheap. Can't even imagine what it would cost in parts of the country where electricity is dear. We have a monthly base charge of $7.87. Then the per KWH rate is 9.2103 cents but there are credits. When those are factored in, it's 7.756 cents per KWH. If one goes over a certain usage the rate jumps up. Don't remember if we were hitting that higher rate last winter or what that rate was.

It struck me that, as much as we're saving with wood, the savings would be even more profound elsewhere. I'm wondering what others have saved by switching from wood to electric (and where).

 

[begreen]

Your average rate is great. We are more like $40/mo summer average in an all electric house and $90/mo winter. We have an electric car charging and electric heat pump that will occasionally kick in. Actually in October we have only used the heat pump. In winter there are many hours more lighting needed, hot water heater has to heat up colder water, the dryer needs to be used instead of clothesline, etc. FWIW, we had a particularly cold spell last December and had a spike then too. I have a small shop heater and greenhouse heater + dehumidifier in there so that adds up.

But compared to a decade ago when the house was leakier and had a propane furnace we are saving thousands a year in heating costs.

 

[STIHLY DAN]

I pay 21.0 cents per KW, plus delivery charge around $30, line fees and a few other charges. We pay on average $180.00 a month. Hpwh, wood heat, gas stove, gas dryer. Only electric is lights, fridge, freezer, tv, computer, water pump, and microwave. All lights are cheap flouro. I swear the electric co is stealing from me, I've been saying this for 20 yrs.

 

[Parallax]

Begreen, I have a propane instant hot water heater and the stove is propane too. We seem to go through around 50 gallons of propane every 3 months. Not bad. On top of that we have electric and wood for the stove.

Dan -- Wow, that's really high. What part of the country? Here, we pay through the nose for water. Even though it rains all the time. I think much of it is for water treatment. Probably $100 a month.

 

[BrotherBart]

All in ours comes out to $0.126 per KWH. Don't know what we are saving since we started heating the place with wood in 1985, the year the house was built.

Base load is around $75 a month with no heating or cooling in an all electric house with well pump.

 

[johnny1720]

I use a geothermal heat pump, electric dryer, range, well pump. I finish my hot water with a tankless propane.

I pay about $250 per month, however this will go down next spring. I started on the budget plan last year after electric went up to .20 a KwHand I used 3000 KwHs in one month.

I locked into a lower supply charge last month so my monthly cost is now about .11 cents a KwH.

 

[Wildo]

$0.22 total s&d where I am, got a new bill today YAY!

 

[newburner]

$0.264 per kWh here. I pay just over $400/mo.

 

[Highbeam]

We are in the wet side of WA as well on PSE power. All in it is 10 cents per kwh. I got my bill yesterday for 48$ which is all electric water heat, dryer, lights, stove, etc. we have no propane. When you do the math propane is more expensive per btu than electric resistance here in the NW and has been for many years.

Soon, like this week, we will energize the hot tub and double our bill. That bugger eats a healthy 15-20 kwh per day for 8-9 months per year.

 

[Maul4life]

We are currently paying .286 / kwh. The previous owners electric bill, averaged over the cold 6 months, was $1200/mo. They were an elderly couple and NEVER used their woodstove. They installed an Osburn 1600 in 1984 (when power was much cheaper) and only had 3 fires in the thing. I moved in and immediately started woodburning. With the Osburn, we took our monthly average to below $300...no electric heat. We still have electric cooking, water heater, lights...etc. Natural gas is not currently an option in Fairbanks. Just installed a BK Chinook 30 through a "ChangeOut Program" through the borough. Basically, the entire cost of the stove is paid for. I have had this stove for about 2 weeks and am really happy so far. Burned 5 cord last year, looking like we will burn a cord less...and have to start much fewer fires. Enjoy those low electric rates.

 

[Parallax]

Looks like my rate is pretty darn good at 7 3/4 cents per KWH. Still, I'm glad we're heating with wood. Way less expensive than electricity. Last winter, running four space heaters, the place was barely warm and we were spending at least $200 a month.

 

[johnnh]

My electricity is ~ 17 cents per KWh. I'm grappling with my next move: I have a 20 year old 40 gallon DHW oil fired tank. I believe it's sucking a lot of oil now. I installed the pellet stove, so no oil for heat. I was just going to install an electric 80 gallon tank and call it a life. Now i don't know what to do with oil prices falling.

 

[Doug MacIVER]

if you have to change, from reading here I'd go hphw. if your like my system, usage is about .55-.75 gal a day during the summer. still $50-60/mo. people here talking hphw about $8-12/mo. have a day my mass rate last month w/delivery just over $.16/kw. closer to $.20+/kw next month

 

[Highbeam]

Looks like my rate is pretty darn good at 7 3/4 cents per KWH. Still, I'm glad we're heating with wood. Way less expensive than electricity. Last winter, running four space heaters, the place was barely warm and we were spending at least $200 a month.

I'm sure your power is cheap but it is not 7.75 cents per kwh. There is a lot of smoke and mirrors on your bill and the only way to compare is by dividing your total bill by the total kwh used. Anything else is like burning face cords, you're fooling yourself. In addition to the base charges, distribution, etc. the raw per kwh rate is usually variable depending on consumption. All in, I actually payed less than 10 cents per kwh this cycle but on average it is 10.

With cheap electricity we are spoiled here in the NW. We are also spoiled with cheap pellet fuel (still way under 200$ per ton) and cheap NG if you can get it. Plenty of water and no income tax either. There are some good things for sure.

 

[Parallax]

No income tax but, for those of us who are self employed, the B&O tax makes up for it. Plenty of water but really expensive water, which had me scratching my head for a time. Electricity's cheap and there are deals on wood. Natural gas is cheap if you can get it. There are no lines where I'm at so it's propane (which isn't cheap at all).

 

[WiscWoody]

My electric is cheap compared to some even though I think it's high compared to the Minneapolis/St. Paul area that I lived in for most of my life. The charge for hook up is $11.25 but I don't use much power myself... Around 250 KWH a month. One bill I have here for 242 KW is $43.62 and a whole year for electric costs around $520. I buy propane in the summer for $1.45 as of this fill and wood is free for the stove as I scrounge it here in a hardwood forest easily. My house is 3200 sq ft. and It gets dang cold up here too!

PS. Water is from my private well. I don't get a water bill but it cost me $6500 to have it drilled and another $3000 for a tank. I have the most efficient dual flush toilets made plus grey water goes out the side and get pumped once a year for $140.

 

[Highbeam]

Plenty of water but really expensive water, which had me scratching my head for a time.

Correction, your water is expensive. Mine is almost free, the water I sell is ridiculously cheap too. There are a few rabid purveyors out there but the bulk of us have a nearly endless supply of very cheap and very good water.

 

[Parallax]

Much of our cost comes from the septic portion of the bill. Too many people living in the watershed for the reservoir that serves Bellingham. For years, big storms would cause the sewers to overflow and raw sewerage would pour directly into the lake. They rebuilt the sewers a few years back and we're paying the price. I'm not convinced our water district is well managed so that's an issue too. But it is what it is and I love living here. There are miles of woods behind my home that can't be developed or logged precisely because we're in a watershed. So I view the cost of water/sewer as the price I pay for seclusion.

 

[Laurent Cyr]

We pay 0,0557 here in Québec. When I bought the house in 2006, we were paying over $3,000 in electricity per year (without the wood stove). I`ve now brought it below the $2,000 mark. Everything is electric in the house; stove, force air furnace, fridge, freezer, air conditioning. No propane. I pay $165 per month. I wish solar was cheaper...or that I was handy on the electrical and mechanical side of things. I`ve got a fast flowing Stream on the property, and I`m sure I could tap into hydro-electric power from that fast flowing water.

 

[Parallax]

We pay 0,0557 here in Québec. When I bought the house in 2006, we were paying over $3,000 in electricity per year (without the wood stove). I`ve now brought it below the $2,000 mark. Everything is electric in the house; stove, force air furnace, fridge, freezer, air conditioning. No propane. I pay $165 per month. I wish solar was cheaper...or that I was handy on the electrical and mechanical side of things. I`ve got a fast flowing Stream on the property, and I`m sure I could tap into hydro-electric power from that fast flowing water.

I'm guessing the permit requirements are strict for something like that.

 

[Laurent Cyr]

I'm guessing the permit requirements are strict for something like that.

Maybe. Hadn`t thought about it. I`ve seen some models the size of a washing machine.

 

[Laszlo]

Our total cost averages to 13.09 cents per kWh. Month-to-month it varies from 12.5 to 15 cents, depending on usage. We're halfway through a 3-year term, locked-in rate of 8.28 cents/kWh for 100% wind power generation. The rest is transmission charges, and PECO levies a $8.88 monthly fee for our two meters.

All-electric house, including hot water, well pump, and air-source heat pump. January and February bills can top $400 without wood heat, but when we provision enough fuel for the stove, those bills can be halved.

 

[Doug MacIVER]

let's see , as of this morning Nasty Grid has increased the cost of a kw to $.1627 from $.08277 to Mass. customers.. add delivery and we are now over $.24/kw. got a feeling a lot of folks are in for a real shock when their Dec. bill shows up. in the mean time enjoy your rainy day here in the northeast.

PS, good thing that oil crashed this year for those of us that fully or partially heat w/it. I'm currently @ $.80/gal lower than my 2014 average. probably means a breakeven for this household. for those with gas, they'll be getting the double whammy this year.

 

[Swedishchef]

I am loving the electricity rates in Quebec. I pay $90/month. My entire house is wired for electric heating. My stove is located in the basement so my upstairs is primarily heated with electricity.

Andrew

 

[Doug MacIVER]

I am loving the electricity rates in Quebec. I pay $90/month. My entire house is wired for electric heating. My stove is located in the basement so my upstairs is primarily heated with electricity.

Andrew

how's your early start with the white stuff this am. 1 am model has Plymouth county getting a huge surprise for a few hours

got to love Que. hydro, have a day