The way my electric coop keeps raising rates and fees are gonna drive me to go off the grid altogether.
Used to have a $10 "Monthly Facilities Charge" which has quickly morphed into a $19 charge, and yesterday's coop newsletter says they'll jack it to $24 in April AND we've gone to 9 cents/kwh from 8 too. My wise fellow Minnesotans voted an increased sales tax upon us a few years back and everything on our electric bills is subject to MN sales tax, so the tax bite is higher. There is also a renewable energy surcharge which I don't mind so much if that helps expand the wind farms.
The funny part is, in one part of the coop newsletter they say the recession has caused reduced electricity consumption by businesses; for that reason they must raise the rates. Then in another part of the newsletter they say increased consumer electricity consumption is causing them to have to buy more power; for that reason they must raise the rates. OK. Color me confused.
