Do power companies really do this? Doesn't you using more power just mean more $$$ for them? As long as you pay your bill I would think their position would be "Go on using as much juice as you want, baby."
Do power companies really do this? Doesn't you using more power just mean more $$$ for them? As long as you pay your bill I would think their position would be "Go on using as much juice as you want, baby."
Maybe this is a Washington state thing.
Some areas have a demand for power rapidly outstripping what they can supply.
I'm pretty sure that's usually when they send letters like this out.
Do power companies really do this? Doesn't you using more power just mean more $$$ for them? As long as you pay your bill I would think their position would be "Go on using as much juice as you want, baby."
Maybe this is a Washington state thing.
We have something like this in Nova Scotia. Technically the letters here are from a group called 'Efficiency Nova Scotia', but they're funded by the power company.
In a lot of areas, they're set up to provide x amount of power for any given time based on a number of factors, because they have to determine generating costs and such in advance. If they estimate that they should generate a certain amount, and then people use way more than that, they sometimes have to buy capacity from other markets, which they make a lot less money on, because they're paying more for it, but are still charging you the same rate.
A lot of power companies also tend to get involved in clean power initiatives, which favors lower use.
Do power companies really do this? Doesn't you using more power just mean more $$$ for them? As long as you pay your bill I would think their position would be "Go on using as much juice as you want, baby."
Maybe this is a Washington state thing.
At least around here, even when you use less power they just get the state to authorize them to charge you more for it, so they can still make their money. But if they can do that AND cut down on your power consumption, that's free money for them!
What is this I don't even.
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CreamstoutWhat you think I program for, to push a fuckin' quad-core?Registered Userregular
Do power companies really do this? Doesn't you using more power just mean more $$$ for them? As long as you pay your bill I would think their position would be "Go on using as much juice as you want, baby."
Maybe this is a Washington state thing.
I know in the Phoenix area the power companies want more efficient homes since they have to run high demand facilities more in the summer and the energy produced at these facilities costs more per kW:h than the baseline coal/hydro powerplants. They can also sell excess power to the neighboring states usually for more than they can sell to the local residents since the cost is regulated by the state.
Do power companies really do this? Doesn't you using more power just mean more $$$ for them? As long as you pay your bill I would think their position would be "Go on using as much juice as you want, baby."
Maybe this is a Washington state thing.
Some areas have a demand for power rapidly outstripping what they can supply.
I'm pretty sure that's usually when they send letters like this out.
They definitely do that in NY as well. A friend of mine has a fully electric car that he charges in his garage. He showed me almost exactly the wording in the first panel a few months ago and we laughed about it. He's not a PA person, but he's definitely getting emailed a link to this comic.
SF Bay Area has this problem as well. the local electric/gas utility is PG&E, and for poorly understood reasons (POLITICS AND INCOMPETENT MANAGEMENT), they are constantly unable to purchase out of market power when local electricity generation is insufficient. that's happening a lot more now with the Bay Area being tech startup central.
i've been getting quite a few notices now about how to reduce power usage.
edit: i wish i could get electricity from Voltar, the Shocklord instead. would probably have better customer service, too!
We got a letter that says the exact same thing. I guess it's because we keep our meat & condiments in one fridge, our produce & leftovers in another fridge, & all of our drinks in another fridge. (Extended family).
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Maybe this is a Washington state thing.
Some areas have a demand for power rapidly outstripping what they can supply.
I'm pretty sure that's usually when they send letters like this out.
We have something like this in Nova Scotia. Technically the letters here are from a group called 'Efficiency Nova Scotia', but they're funded by the power company.
In a lot of areas, they're set up to provide x amount of power for any given time based on a number of factors, because they have to determine generating costs and such in advance. If they estimate that they should generate a certain amount, and then people use way more than that, they sometimes have to buy capacity from other markets, which they make a lot less money on, because they're paying more for it, but are still charging you the same rate.
A lot of power companies also tend to get involved in clean power initiatives, which favors lower use.
At least around here, even when you use less power they just get the state to authorize them to charge you more for it, so they can still make their money. But if they can do that AND cut down on your power consumption, that's free money for them!
I know in the Phoenix area the power companies want more efficient homes since they have to run high demand facilities more in the summer and the energy produced at these facilities costs more per kW:h than the baseline coal/hydro powerplants. They can also sell excess power to the neighboring states usually for more than they can sell to the local residents since the cost is regulated by the state.
They definitely do that in NY as well. A friend of mine has a fully electric car that he charges in his garage. He showed me almost exactly the wording in the first panel a few months ago and we laughed about it. He's not a PA person, but he's definitely getting emailed a link to this comic.
i've been getting quite a few notices now about how to reduce power usage.
edit: i wish i could get electricity from Voltar, the Shocklord instead. would probably have better customer service, too!
steam | Dokkan: 868846562
Yeah but it's like a country club, you meet a lot of resistance when trying to sign up.
at least the staff will know watt they are talking about in their field.
steam | Dokkan: 868846562
That does make a good case for switching power companies.
MHWilds ID: JF9LL8L3
Dude will wreck your shit.
Since it's well established a picture is worth a certain number of words. Mike should donate 1000 time what Jerry does whenever he makes and art goof.
That is a sweet racket, overcharging 1/2 your customers.
yeah, the current utility monopoly just blows my fuse.
steam | Dokkan: 868846562
Yeah, what? That's mathematically unconscionable.