Utilities
Lady Longfellow suggested in response to my post on the USPS, that I should complain about Utility Companies. No problem, I have a beef with them as well.
When you grow up in a State that produces alot of power through Hydroelectric means, you would expect that power to be reasonably priced, right? Not true, it seems that the Utilities from the Washington State sell their energy to the fine people in the State of California for a nice tidy profit. In turn the very same companies buy power from their neighbors to the North in British Columbia. Just doesn't seem right, that because California cannot provide itself with it's own power, they buy it elsewhere, in turn causing the persons living in the provider State to pay higher rates for their power needs. It just doesn't seem right, but then again the profits must be fantastic. One could almost call it double dipping, if you consider that the exchange rate between the US Dollar and the Canadian dollar can give you greater buying power from BC Hydro, in turn sell it at a higher rate to your customers. Then you always have the income from selling off the power generated from your customer's backyard rivers, that you're selling to someone else.
Living in Florida, the majority of the power plants in my particular area are all coal powered. However, just recently in the news it was reported that our rates must be increased because the high fuel prices, and to help pay for the repairs from the hurricane damages sustained during the past two years. Our rates did indeed go up 'temporarily' last February to pay for last year's storms. In the meantime the very same company posted record profits....despite all the damage.
I find it remarkable that these monopolies are able to get away with this garbage. But then again, Political Campaign contributions talk better than the voice of the consumer.
Here we are about to get hit yet again by another Hurricane, I'm sure we will lose power for several days, because we are at the mercy of an antiquated power system, with above ground lines. Too hard to find problems, and too expensive to move the power underground say the power companies. What they mean to say, is it will cut too far into the almighty bottom line, and the quarterly earnings reports that Wall St. loves so much. Yes I love the Electric Company about as much as I love the USPS rate hikes.
Let's not even get into my feelings about Petroluem Companies.
When you grow up in a State that produces alot of power through Hydroelectric means, you would expect that power to be reasonably priced, right? Not true, it seems that the Utilities from the Washington State sell their energy to the fine people in the State of California for a nice tidy profit. In turn the very same companies buy power from their neighbors to the North in British Columbia. Just doesn't seem right, that because California cannot provide itself with it's own power, they buy it elsewhere, in turn causing the persons living in the provider State to pay higher rates for their power needs. It just doesn't seem right, but then again the profits must be fantastic. One could almost call it double dipping, if you consider that the exchange rate between the US Dollar and the Canadian dollar can give you greater buying power from BC Hydro, in turn sell it at a higher rate to your customers. Then you always have the income from selling off the power generated from your customer's backyard rivers, that you're selling to someone else.
Living in Florida, the majority of the power plants in my particular area are all coal powered. However, just recently in the news it was reported that our rates must be increased because the high fuel prices, and to help pay for the repairs from the hurricane damages sustained during the past two years. Our rates did indeed go up 'temporarily' last February to pay for last year's storms. In the meantime the very same company posted record profits....despite all the damage.
I find it remarkable that these monopolies are able to get away with this garbage. But then again, Political Campaign contributions talk better than the voice of the consumer.
Here we are about to get hit yet again by another Hurricane, I'm sure we will lose power for several days, because we are at the mercy of an antiquated power system, with above ground lines. Too hard to find problems, and too expensive to move the power underground say the power companies. What they mean to say, is it will cut too far into the almighty bottom line, and the quarterly earnings reports that Wall St. loves so much. Yes I love the Electric Company about as much as I love the USPS rate hikes.
Let's not even get into my feelings about Petroluem Companies.
posted by Tall Molly Man at 1:40 AM
2 Comments:
Great post!
There are more issues that I wanted to touch on, but I didn't want the post to be too long. Maybe another time.
Post a Comment
<< Home