BGE

[Son of Clyde]

Interesting news in Baltimore:

 

http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bal-bge0307,0,1320694.story?coll=bal-business-headlines

[catzenmouse]

SoC,
 
 As with anything to do with energy we as consumers are getting  the short end of the stick and will continue to do so with the current  bias towards big business and big money.

 Bet you are glad you don't have a big house to heat/cool!

Ken

[Son of Clyde]

I am fortunate the landlord pays for the heating oil. My electric bill averages $68.00 a month. We don't have central air so that will save some $$$$'s.

[Daknack]

Natural Gas is tied to oil, not electricity.  Thats tied to coal (for the most past).

[wxman]

Outside of the northeast, most electricity in US is produced by natural gas or hydro plants. In fact, 90% of all new power plants built since 1980 produce eletricity via natural gas. So as the price of natural gas goes, so does the price of electricity. And now power companies want all electricity to be openly sold on the commodities markets. Most states still regulate that, but with each passing days, more states are allowing that to happen. Natural gas didn't go up so dramatically because of the hurricanes (as the media has told) but because of speculators buying up large hordes of it right after the hurricanes and then not selling in hopes for a cold winter, thus causing the prices to spike dramatically. The power companies had no choice but to pay the higher cost for natural gas before winter set in, and then they had to pass the cost on with higher electric bills. allowing electricity to be openly sold on the open market will also cause wide swings in the price and will be subject to the whims of the speculators.   Whether this is good or bad is still up for debate. I can see both sides of the argument.

[Daknack]

65% of all american electrical usage is from coal.  Second most is Nuclear, although no new plants have been built in about 30 years.  Natural Gas accounts for about 8% with hydro power being around 12.  Solar and wind are barely measurable.

[wxman]

[align=left]http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/epa/epat2p2.html[/align]
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[align=left]http://www.eia.doe.gov/fuelelectric.html[/align]
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[Daknack]

cool stats looks like my info was a bit outta date, but still mostly coal followed by nuclear.  What suprises me is the increase in natural gas use.

[Son of Clyde]

The "rate stabilization plan" would give participants a 21 percent increase in July, followed by gradually increasing rates until the deferred amount, plus 5 percent interest, is paid at the end of two years. Those who opt out of the program would pay the full 72 percent increase starting in July and avoid interest charges. The $743-a-year cost estimate cited by the PSC is the average, so some customers will pay more and some will pay less.


Why not just increase the yearly total by 15% over the next 60 months? This will also gradually increase what we are paying each year until in 5 years we are paying 75% more each month.

Any way you cut it, someone will make a bundle on the 5%  interest the consumer will be paying.