Quote:
Originally Posted by samwichse
Got it, so it can reduce costs, but it's bad because California is doing it to reduce their costs.
|
I don't think it has anything to do with cost reduction for the general population. It has more to do with California's renewable energy requirements. Hydro storage is a form of renewable energy just as solar and wind are. The state has mandated 50% renewable energy generation by the year 2030 and is pushing for 100% by 2045. The power companies out here are still monopolies that are in business to make money so I don't expect them to lower their rates at all even though they are regulated by a citizen's utility board. Our current base rate is about 21.5 cents/kwh and goes up from there. PGE is trying to push a demand rate which would base the cost on the maximum usage in any one hour increment during the billing period. That will really hurt people. As for me, I plan to be grid free long before things get really nasty.
JJ