Interesting article - high electric rates in NC

[Remmy122]

Its bad when the Governor has to write a letter about high electric bills....

(broken link removed to http://www.witn.com/home/headlines/Power_Struggle_Part_1_ElectriCities_Rates_Governor_Calls_Her_Bill_Exorbitant_121286184.html)

of course I had to try and give Hearth.com some props. We will see if their mods allow it

 

[jimbom]

So far they have not deleted your hearth.com reference. The cities made this commitment decades ago. Nuclear panic caused two plants at one billion each to turn into one plant at four billion. They are stuck with the contractual obligation. Contracts? How do they work.

What they may be able to influence is the utilities alliance they have joined. The 28 cities each likely have a representative on the board. Time to flex some political muscle and closely examine how things are run. Perhaps a little fat in the current operation can be cut.

A few years ago I had the chance to put our little town in an ownership position on a mine mouth coal fired electric plant in Illinois not far from St Louis. We passed. Obligating future generations of my neighbors with massive debt payments seemed criminal to me.

 

[mayhem]

One useful bit of information might be if they mentioned the rate people are paying. I see one of the comments mentions 10 and 13 cents/kwh. Far as I'm concerned thats borderline free electricity. I pay 18 and that with switching to Dominion with a discount through WMECO.

Like to know what kind of consumption these people have.

 

[DaveH9]

One useful bit of information might be if they mentioned the rate people are paying. I see one of the comments mentions 10 and 13 cents/kwh. Far as I'm concerned thats borderline free electricity. I pay 18 and that with switching to Dominion with a discount through WMECO.

Like to know what kind of consumption these people have.

NC uses a lot of AC with air to air heat pumps for heat, not uncommon for the heat pumps to have electric resistant back up. I am sure there is tons to be done on the conservation side. Rates are low compared to the North East, I pay .19 Kwh . All the people paying .10Kwh better be prepared for increases, they are coming.

 

[mayhem]

I noticed one of the people that commented on the article mentioned that they keep their house at 75 year round and don't understand why the electric bill is so high. Crazy.

 

[charly]

I went with US Gas & Electric, they wholesale their power which they produce themselves. I've been getting bills of 4-5 cents /KWH. Alot cheaper than National Grid was.

 

[woodchip]

I noticed one of the people that commented on the article mentioned that they keep their house at 75 year round and don't understand why the electric bill is so high. Crazy.

Our electric here costs 11.52p per kw/hour, which works out at about 19 cents..........

If I kept our house at 75 on electric alone, I'd be sweating over the thought of the next bill regardless of temperature ;-)

 

[borjagb]

Power companies always charge a lot of money and they take advantage of their possition