My electric rate has gone up 70% in two months.

[alarimer]

It went from 13 cents per KWH to 22 cents. Since it is summer, I am also using more so my actual bill went from $80 in May to over $200 this month. I am fuming. I have already switched companies to one promising a lower rate. These fuckers are not getting any more money from me. Deregulation was supposed to lower bills. I am calling my state rep tomorrow and asking him to introduce legislation to re-regulate because these companies are just killing the consumer, while they are making money hand over fist.

[Radical Activist]

1. You need a public utility.

Less free market more socialism for utilities. Publicly owned utilities have lower rates and usually better environmental records.

[alarimer]

2. I agree.

We have an electric co-op here actually. But the rate for the wind-powered one was better so I went with 100% wind energy but if their rates increase (how do wind power rates increase anyway- they are not dependent on the cost of natural gas) I will switch again. That is the only saving grace to deregulation. As soon as their rates increase I switch to the lowest one I can find. The problem is, they all seem to raise their rates at the same time.

[Radical Activist]

6. Most co-ops are at the mercy of private power companies

because that's where they buy their power.
The wind power might be an add-on cost to their base price for natural gas. Those green power programs work differently in different areas but its nice that you have one.

[LeftyMom]

3. Seriously.

We have SMUD here, which is municipal, and they're so much better than PG&E, the private utility that serves the surrounding area, on every measure I can barely even compare the two. Their environmental record is very good, the rates are low, they do a lot to emphasize conservation, both in terms of incentives on the bill and stuff like subsidizing CFL bulbs, and the service and reliability is excellent.

My electric bill was all of $35 last month, and I ran the air quite a bit.

[Radical Activist]

5. Funny how that isn't common knowledge.

When was the last time you saw a news article comparing public and private utilities?

[NewEnglandGirl]

4. We have no choices here, we have one electric company

no gas etc. We went through that last year, our rates went up 75% because of deregulation. Our state government says they're looking into it but they never do.