Texas Energy Crisis

[Sparko]

OK - our electric use was less this month than same month last year, but with still a few days remaining in the month.

bbe 2.jpg
HOWEVER.... our heat is Natural Gas, not Electric, so....

Heck I was just checking my electric bill. In the summer I was being charged about 5 cents per kWh, now I am being charged 10 cents. That's double! Apparently the electric company is "switching over from coal plants to green energy" and asked for a rate increase to cover the cost. I thought Green was supposed to be cheaper? Ha.

[Cow Poke]

Heck I was just checking my electric bill. In the summer I was being charged about 5 cents per kWh, now I am being charged 10 cents. That's double! Apparently the electric company is "switching over from coal plants to green energy" and asked for a rate increase to cover the cost. I thought Green was supposed to be cheaper? Ha.

Maybe you're paying for all them new green jobs!

[Cow Poke]

Something that does concern me --- bottled water is at a premium in Texas.
I was already concerned with the rampant use of bottled water, and the litter it leaves behind, but with so many areas having "boil notices" in place, the use of bottled water is sky-rocketing.
Sure, it may be only for a few weeks, and maybe not even a blip on the ecology radar, but...

And entire truckloads of nothing but pallets of bottled water -- quite a heavy load -- are rolling into Texas from everywhere.

[rogue06]

Heck I was just checking my electric bill. In the summer I was being charged about 5 cents per kWh, now I am being charged 10 cents. That's double! Apparently the electric company is "switching over from coal plants to green energy" and asked for a rate increase to cover the cost. I thought Green was supposed to be cheaper? Ha.

And the Obamessiah solemnly informed us that Obamacare would reduce the cost of health insurance by $2500 (and that you could keep your doctor)

[CivilDiscourse]

Heck I was just checking my electric bill. In the summer I was being charged about 5 cents per kWh, now I am being charged 10 cents. That's double! Apparently the electric company is "switching over from coal plants to green energy" and asked for a rate increase to cover the cost. I thought Green was supposed to be cheaper? Ha.

Well, to be fair, the green energy plants (i.e. turbines, etc.) still have to be built, which costs $ upfront, regardless of the cost of the electricity afterwards.

[Cow Poke]

Well, to be fair, the green energy plants (i.e. turbines, etc.) still have to be built, which costs $ upfront, regardless of the cost of the electricity afterwards.

In the normal course of business, that's where investors come in, because they believe there will be a profit. They don't charge customers up front for future improvements.

[Sparko]

In the normal course of business, that's where investors come in, because they believe there will be a profit. They don't charge customers up front for future improvements.

That's the way it should be. Plus energy credits from the government. But apparently no, they want to charge us upfront for their improvements. And I heard that they wanted more, but the goobermint only approved 40% of what they wanted. So if that was freaking double what I was already paying, what the heck did they want to do, triple or quadruple our electric costs? Who could afford that?

[Cow Poke]

That's the way it should be. Plus energy credits from the government. But apparently no, they want to charge us upfront for their improvements. And I heard that they wanted more, but the goobermint only approved 40% of what they wanted. So if that was freaking double what I was already paying, what the heck did they want to do, triple or quadruple our electric costs? Who could afford that?

Remember this?

[Sparko]

Remember this?

Have you calculated how much electricity per KWh costs when using your generator? (converting natural gas cost to electric?)

[whag]

Remember this?

I do. Much hay has been made about that quote, but it doesn't tell the whole story. Of course, energy rates would go up with retrofit costs. ERCOT will soon be raising their rates, too, for the retrofits and repairs.

That quote also ignores the measures that would offset the increase for people who can't afford it. Here's some wording from the failed bill in question:

The Obama Administration has proposed that some of the revenues from climate control legislation be used to continue the Making Work Pay credit, which provides a refundable tax credit of $400 a year for individuals and $800 for couples. This may be a useful start, but there may need to be additional tax relief for low- and moderate-income households in the future to ensure that higher energy costs are fully offset. Additionally, we should consider providing further assistance to large families, given the fact that more children usually mean higher energy costs. Finally we need to recognize that some Americans don't have earnings--senior citizens, the disabled, the unemployed--but they still need help in addressing higher energy costs. If you're living on SSI, and your electric rates go up, you are participating in this whole process. Any proposed assistance that excludes needy households is incomplete and inadequate, in my view. In short, we can protect low- and middle-income families while also protecting our planet.

[Cow Poke]

I do. Much hay has been made about that quote, but it doesn't tell the whole story. Of course, energy rates would go up with retrofit costs. ERCOT will soon be raising their rates, too, for the retrofits and repairs.

He didn't say "rates would go up" he specifically said SKYROCKET.

That quote also ignores the measures that would offset the increase for people who can't afford it. Here's some wording from the failed bill in question:

He also said you can keep your doctor, remember that?

[rogue06]

Remember this?

Refreshingly honest in the sense that he admits when expenses rise for a business because of increasing regulations and taxes that they pass the costs on to consumers^[1], rather than the usual "I'm gonna raise the taxes on Big Businesses and it won't cost you a dime" crap the left usually tries to sell.



1. also employees who can kiss any raises and bonuses goodbye.

[whag]

He didn't say "rates would go up" he specifically said SKYROCKET.

Skyrocket's go up. I still don't see the problem with the word in context. As a Californian, I expect my bills go up commensurate with my provider's expenses. If they're meeting regulations to reduce carbon emissions, I'd expect to pay for that. Ditto winterizing, which should also be done in a climate that has experienced freezing temperatures.

He also said you can keep your doctor, remember that?

Yes, I do, but I have no reason to assume that assistance wouldn't be given (since similar help is already available for low-income families who can't afford their bills).

Can we go back to flaming Cruz and Trump? I miss the good times.

[whag]

Refreshingly honest in the sense that he admits when expenses rise for a business because of increasing regulations and taxes that they pass the costs on to consumers^[1], rather than the usual "I'm gonna raise the taxes on Big Businesses and it won't cost you a dime" crap the left usually tries to sell.

Or Trump's "I'll make Mexico pay for it" con.

1. also employees who can kiss any raises and bonuses goodbye.

C-suite get plenty of raises and bonuses, no matter what.

https://www.businessinsider.com/tax-...-study-2020-12

Hope and Limberg analyzed major tax cuts for the rich in 18 countries that are part of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, including the US, Japan, and Norway, from 1965 to 2015.

Top incomes have risen rapidly since the 1980s — and as they grew, more tax cuts for the wealthy were introduced, the researchers said.

The researchers said their results were in line with a 2014 paper published in the American Economic Journal that suggested that lower taxes for the rich caused high earners to seek pay raises.

"Cutting taxes on the rich increases top income shares, but has little effect on economic performance," Hope and Limberg concluded.

Trickle down economics is really complicated and doesn't work as simplistically as the GOP have been describing since the 80s. Needs context.

[Cow Poke]

Skyrocket's go up.

So do helium balloons - but skyrocket indicates a very fast sharp rise.

I still don't see the problem with the word in context. As a Californian, I expect my bills go up commensurate with my provider's expenses. If they're meeting regulations to reduce carbon emissions, I'd expect to pay for that. Ditto winterizing, which should also be done in a climate that has experienced freezing temperatures.

I'm still grinning at your concept that "skyrocket" might just mean 'an increase'.

Yes, I do, but I have no reason to assume that assistance wouldn't be given (since similar help is already available for low-income families who can't afford their bills).

Can we go back to flaming Cruz and Trump? I miss the good times.

I am SO past both Trump and Cruz.