Maths is hard! - Electricity prices

[HeyBub]

I just got off the 'phone with my electricity provider. I was looking at my bill and computing I was paying 12.5 cents/kwh, I inquired as to why I shouldn't switch to another provider, some offering power as low as 9.5 cents. He explained.

I was actually paying 8.8 cents (!) but the various add-on fees (which other providers would have also) drove up the final price. These add-on fees consisted of a delivery charge by another company, sales tax, Spanish-American War tax, infrastructure recovery fees, and assorted nickel-and-dime supplements.

He did find me another plan that dropped the overall rate, though.

Point is, don't fall for the "basic energy charge" quote compared to the total charge.

Aside: I've found that fussing about your bill to almost anybody will usually result in a price reduction.

[Robert Green]

I believe that it's more than likely that somewhere, somehow there's still part of that war being paid off in some sort of unexpired tax break or perpetual annuity. There was just another "Social Security Pays Dead People Millions" article. We need a real, top to bottom spending review. Think the Supercommittee's going to get it done? I suspect a legislative "deus ex machina" on that promise as soon as the deadline looms close enough.

It's the new Congressional motto: "Never do anything until you can't do anything else!"

-- Bobby G.

[notbob]

This has been going on for decades, mostly by utilities like water, phone, power, etc. Some math whiz discovered a PG&E overcharge ruse about 25 yrs ago. They were stealing from everyone and had been for years. It was a pittance per customer but added up to tens of millions over the years. A local ABC affiliate picked up the story and ran it. PG&E hadda pay it all back. I once caught my phone company (POTS) stiffing me for and extra $6 mo with some bogus charge. They said, "Oops!" and removed it. I finally discovered my water utility had my duplex's water meters reversed and I'd been paying my neighbor's (family of 6!) water bill.

You gotta watch these scoundrels or they'll bend you over at every opportunity. And when you catch 'em once, go back and recheck. They'll turn right around and try it again or come up with a new cheat. I told my most recent phone provider I wanted a new plan. We discussed it and I thought it was implemented. No! I did a dbl check and discovered they hadn't changed a damn thing and were still charging me at the higher plan rate. Again with the "Oops!". Lying thieving bastids, one and all!

nb

[ChairMan]

Check to see if you can use Champion Energy, they'll tell you exactly what you pay per kwh including all taxes and charges at the bottom of your bill(in BOLD) They'll even give you a better deal each year when your contract expires than what they usually advertise

[krw]

Funny, I just divide the bottom line (well, the one above where they add the charge for garbage collection) by the number of kWh used to get the price per kWh ($.09, up from $.08 a couple of months ago).

I suppose you "fall for" the prices cell phone companies quote, too? ;-)

Anybody? MY ELECTRIC RATES ARE TOO DAMNED HIGH! (nope didn't work)