This is a very complex topic and one I have been a part of for 20 years.https://twitter.com/ACNicolet/status/1091657373972860928 …
-
Show this thread
-
Lets limit this conversation to electricity, although we can expand it if there is interest to housing, transportation, water, etc. If you look at the average electricity bill by State, California is #47 https://wallethub.com/edu/energy-costs-by-state/4833/ …
2 replies 3 retweets 13 likesShow this thread -
Electric Utility companies have been increasing fixed charges to assure their bondholders that energy efficiency doesn't errod their bond rating. In fact, electricity sales have largely been flat since 2003 so utiities are very scared:https://www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/2018/2/27/17052488/electricity-demand-utilities …
2 replies 10 retweets 18 likesShow this thread -
When you raise fixed charges, the poor get hit the hardest. In fact, until 2001, every state gave larger users a "volume discount" while socking the poor with the highest electricity rates. The reason was pretty simple, residential customers are expensive to serve.
2 replies 4 retweets 18 likesShow this thread -
During the CA electricity crisis, we took the opportunity to change this the traditional system would have put the Deregulation Enron Fiasco on the backs of the poor. We put in tiered rate strcutured where we had progressive electricity rates by volumehttps://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/California-electricity-rates-to-undergo-biggest-6365394.php …
1 reply 3 retweets 11 likesShow this thread -
These rates along with building codes and other "big government" efforts have led to remarkably low electricity bills in California. We are left to conclude that price signals work and energy efficiency leads to lower electricity bills -- even if rates are higher.
1 reply 2 retweets 17 likesShow this thread -
Contrast this with Alabama, Mississippi, and Georgia which are under the thumb of
@SouthernCompany. These states used to have pretty low electricity prices from coal but have always been in the top ten most expensive electricity bills in the country.1 reply 6 retweets 16 likesShow this thread -
The utility company admits freely that their housing stock is leaky, AC bills are high, and many folks use electric resistance heating for the winter days that are cold. But it doesn't have to be this way. This is very easily fixed:https://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2018/02/alabama_residents_pay_2nd_most.html …
1 reply 7 retweets 22 likesShow this thread -
Under current rates, an average Alabama rate payer still gets a volume discount for using more electricity. If you use 750kW you pay roughly $0.12/kWh and if you use 2X that you pay about $0.10/kWh.http://www.alabamapower.com/residential/residential-pricing-and-rates/standard-family-dwelling-rate.html …
2 replies 1 retweet 11 likesShow this thread
"Declining block" rates (i.e. volume discounts) are evil and should be banned. Most regulators have already banned them. Those that remain should be eliminated.
Loading seems to be taking a while.
Twitter may be over capacity or experiencing a momentary hiccup. Try again or visit Twitter Status for more information.