I Protest

Started by P.C., Jan 14 10 07:49

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P.C.

 This is insanity.

$651 for Hydro.  What the hell ?  Almost $200 dollars more than the same 2 month period last year.  This is crazy.  All appliances (except washer/dryer) are fancy schmancy 'Smart'...fancy schmancy light bulbs, cut back on this, cut back on that....no hot tub running, mostly wood heating.  What more can a person do ?  
   
Sir Isaac Newton invented the swinging door....for the convenience of his cat.

TehBorken

 P.C. wrote:
$651 for Hydro.  What the hell ?  Almost $200 dollars more than the same 2 month period last year.  This is crazy.  All appliances (except washer/dryer) are fancy schmancy 'Smart'...fancy schmancy light bulbs, cut back on this, cut back on that....no hot tub running, mostly wood heating.  What more can a person do ?  

Holy crap, is that your water bill?? I'd start to wonder if you have a broken pipe underground or something.

Water service here is ~$120 or so for 2 months.

As far as the new compact fluorescent bulbs go, I think they're a complete ripoff. I've *NEVER* seen one last as long as an incandescent bulb, and they cost about 20 or 30 times as much.
   
 
The real trouble with reality is that there's no background music.

P.C.

No TehBorken.....logical as water sounds, it's the electricity bill.  I'm blue livid over this.  (Water bill is only 40 bucks every couple months).  I'm with you on those squirrely light bulbs.  They don't last any longer than the regular....and aside from being HUGELY costly, they haven't even sorted out how they are going to dispose of the hazzardous little things.
 
Sir Isaac Newton invented the swinging door....for the convenience of his cat.

Russ

If thats your bill PC, Im going to be scared to see mine. We arent that good at conserving with all the old appliances we have and two basement suites. Add on to that the welder, air compressor, etc.

TB.. hydro is our electricity. called BC Hydro.

Mercy to the Guilty is Torture to the Victims

Russ

P.C. wrote:
No TehBorken.....logical as water sounds, it's the electricity bill.  I'm blue livid over this.  (Water bill is only 40 bucks every couple months).  I'm with you on those squirrely light bulbs.  They don't last any longer than the regular....and aside from being HUGELY costly, they haven't even sorted out how they are going to dispose of the hazzardous little things.
 

You be too quick on the draw there missy! LOL.

The energy conserving light bulbs I hate. I put them all over the house when SS was on her green streak. Four of them burnt out in short order and I swear I cant see as well with them. I changed them back in the garage so I can see properly.. which she doesnt know about.
Mercy to the Guilty is Torture to the Victims

P.C.

   [span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"]If thats your bill PC, Im going to be scared to see mine. We arent that good at conserving with all the old appliances we have and two basement suites. Add on to that the welder, air compressor, etc.[/span][br style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"][br style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"][span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"]TB.. hydro is our electricity. called BC Hydro.[/span]

Hi Russ !

Well, truth be told, we aren't extremely cautious with our usage either.....but then, we never have been.  But you'd think that replacing appliances with energy smart should at least make a tiny difference.
     
Sir Isaac Newton invented the swinging door....for the convenience of his cat.

Russ

Hey PC.

We have alot of 220VAC baseboard heaters.. acutally thinking about it, the upstairs is still water baseboards. The washer/ dryer are 5 years old LG front loaders.. but the dryer, stoves, hot water heating are all natural gas. Also have two gas fireplaces.
Mercy to the Guilty is Torture to the Victims

P.C.

We have alot of 220VAC baseboard heaters.. acutally thinking about it, the upstairs is still water baseboards. The washer/ dryer are 5 years old LG front loaders.. but the dryer, stoves, hot water heating are all natural gas. Also have two gas fireplaces.

  Well, we've never been cautious, but only because we already know we're not excessive with anything.  We heat almost totally with wood...(only 3 (functioning) electric baseboard heaters in the house).  Chucked all the old Christmas lights last year, and replaced with LED's.  I mean jeeez....what do we have to do ?  Candle light and a hamster generated computer ?
Sir Isaac Newton invented the swinging door....for the convenience of his cat.

Russ



Russ Wrote: You know.. ive actually tried telling people to do this. my theory behind it is that if less people consume.. the will lower the rates. Im usually told where to go with my sound advice however.      And then PC wrote (accidently in Russ's space):  I'm not sure these monopolies operate on the law of supply and demand.  They usually just go with the demand.  Because they can.  
Mercy to the Guilty is Torture to the Victims

P.C.

OOOOPS.  Did it again. Sorry Russ. [img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #3169c6 1px solid; BORDER-LEFT: #3169c6 1px solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #c6d3ef; BORDER-TOP: #3169c6 1px solid; CURSOR: pointer; BORDER-RIGHT: #3169c6 1px solid" onmouseover="this.style.backgroundColor='#C6D3EF';this.style.border='1px solid #3169C6'; " onmouseout="this.style.backgroundColor=''; this.style.border=''" onclick="InsertImage('/forums/richedit/smileys/Happy/12.gif');" align=absMiddle src="http://discoverseattle.net/forums/richedit/smileys/Happy/12.gif"]
Sir Isaac Newton invented the swinging door....for the convenience of his cat.

Sportsdude

 -Run of the river projects (BC Hydro buys electricity from them after selling the water rights)
-Selling of electricity to the US
-buying electricity from Alberta
-21st Century reality
-Gordon Campbell lives in an apartment with his lights always on

 BC Utilities Commission

[a href="http://www.bclocalnews.com/okanagan_similkameen/kelownacapitalnews/news/60440252.html"]http://www.bclocalnews.com/okanagan_similkameen/kelownacapitalnews/news/60440252.html[/a]

The cost of electric home heating has been rising since 2008 and will continue to rise through 2012 as B.C. Hydro finances its mega projects in the province to keep up with consumer demand. Over the last four years, homes heated with electricity have seen an average increase of $500.
[a href="http://www.bclocalnews.com/opinion/81188377.html"]http://www.bclocalnews.com/opinion/81188377.html[/a]

As a result, it's cutting the amount of power it proposes to buy from independent power producers in the Clean Call for electricity, which closed Nov. 25, 2008 from 5,000 gigawatt hours per year to 3,000 gigawatt hours per year.[/p]The total amount of potential power bid in response to the call was 17,000 gigawatt hours annually, so Hydro's decision will leave a lot more disappointed bidders on the sidelines.[/p]"We're moving ahead with our plan [but] in light of recent economic indicators, at least over the short term we need to be more cautious in our predictions for growth," Hydro spokeswoman Susan Danard said Monday in an interview.[/p]Danard said adjustments are made each year to Hydro's long-term plans to acquire electricity, so there's nothing unusual about a projected change in demand.[/p]Business Council of B.C. executive vice-president Jock Finlayson agreed that growth in demand for power "will obviously moderate as a consequence of a much weaker economy."[/p]But Finlayson said he nonetheless found Hydro's decision curious because electricity demand will grow over the medium and long term — and Hydro must also meet the provincial government's requirement to eliminate its dependence on imported power by 2016.[/p]Energy sector commentator David Austin said he was puzzled because the cutback failed to take full account of the demand growth that could soon emerge with the popularity of plug-in hybrid cars, a booming natural gas sector in northeast B.C., and government actions to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions from the combustion of fossil fuels.[/p]Paul Taylor, president and CEO of NaiKun Wind Energy Group, said he remained confident that the company has all the attributes, including proven technology and community support, to ensure its bid to develop a 396-megawatt offshore wind farm in Hecate Strait will be accepted by Hydro.[/p]Melissa Davis, executive director of BC Citizens for Public Power, said Hydro's decision casts in doubt the "grossly inflated" numbers Hydro and the government previously used to bolster the case for private-sector development of new electricity generating sources in B.C.[/p]"Public power proponents and many environmental groups recognize that the government has been manufacturing an energy crisis to line the pockets of private power producers," Davis said.[/p][a href="http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Hydro+slows+green+energy+development/1148747/story.html"]http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Hydro+slows+green+energy+development/1148747/story.html[/a]
[/p]




   
"We can't stop here. This is bat country."

P.C.

Over the last four years, homes heated with electricity have seen an average increase of $500.

  This I can live with.  But almost a $200 increase for only a 2 month period alone is criminal.
Sir Isaac Newton invented the swinging door....for the convenience of his cat.

Sportsdude

Your rate increase might be a result of the Delta-Twass power-line controversy going on at the moment. It's a stretch, but that's where the fibre optic cable is located that connects the Island to the power grid.

Other than that, I dunno. I never use my heat (i don't know anyone who does in an apartment, heck we usually have our windows open 24/7), but I do leave the fan running in the bathroom to drone out my roommates loud sub woofers and talking between the hours of 7pm-1am. I also have a tendency to leave the tv on.

Lights and such aren't going to reduce your bill. Modern insulation, windows, doors have a greater effect. But those add ons still do not cover you from whatever decision is made in the premier's bunker office in Victoria. (It literally is a 'bunker' in all sense of the word in terms of security and clearance. Not even Young BC Liberals worshippers who have Gordon Campbell posters on their bedroom wall were allowed a tour last year).

but i digress.




 
"We can't stop here. This is bat country."

P.C.

Our neighbours who live up north part time, received a 'regular'  hydro bill during a 4 month period that they were away.  Of course they questioned them about their uninhabited house, and this is what BC Hydro tried to sell them.....and I quote...."You'd be surprised at how much simple body heat can do in terms of keeping your house warm.  An empty house can sometimes work against you."  Like us at the time, they had NO electric heaters.  About the only thing running was their freezer.

  I kid you not.  
Sir Isaac Newton invented the swinging door....for the convenience of his cat.

Sportsdude

Hmm you hinted at something there. Do you or did you have a wood chip burner? My aunt an uncle in Portland who are frugal fundamentalist (its really a disease) used wood pelts.

haha... yeah... That's companies for you. For example if I turn off my cell phone now and don't use it for a month, I still will get charged for the use. Even if you turn off the power completely, you're still paying as you're on the grid and probably in some sort of 'contract' that is similiar to some brokerage fees at a financial institute that says 'you must be continuously active or a monthly fee will kick in' (that's why people end up going to internet financial services, no weird fees like that 'brokerage fees'). Anyway, I'm just wildly guessing here.

 
"We can't stop here. This is bat country."