I admit that I do not understand what the mislabled “Smart Grid” ComEd/Ameren rate hike legislation did to raise electric rates and maybe the hikes I see by comparing my most recent 2012 bill with last year’s, but I don’t think so because they seem to have gone into effect this summer.
Looking at the bills this past year, I see I have a continuing charge for a “Smart Meter Program.” I guess the 13-22 cent monthly charge is because ComEd credits me with $10 a month during the hot months for permission to turn off our air conditioner when their load is too high. It hasn’t been any detriment, probably because we live in a stucco home that is shaded in the summer.
In any event take a look at the “Delivery Service” charges from the same time period twelve months apart.
The bill for 36 days from Com Ed last year.
A 33-day bill from Com Ed for the same period in 2012.
The customer charge was $8.41 last year. Now it is $14.25, up 69%.
Reviewing last year’s bills, this jump seems to have occurred in July.
The standard meter charge was $2.27. Now it is 2.86, up 26%.
Strangely the distribution facilities charge, which I assume has to do with amount of electricity delivered went down from 2.437 cents per kilowatt hour to 1.946 cents per kw hour a year later.
Maybe that because our electric usage was inexplicable up 23%. Maybe per kw hour charge goes down with higher volume.
(I have no clue how we could have used so much more electricity this year than last. The average temperature was 23 degrees last year and 36 this year. I would think the heater blowers would have resulted in lower usage this year, but there may be other factors.)
Then there is a new charge for “IL Electricity Distribution.”
Zero last year, now $1.89.
When I compare the totals for Delivery Services, last year the price was $40.41.
This year it is $48.26.
I’m wondering what the 19% hike was for.
This year the period since the meter was last read by 36 days, last year 33 days.
Guess that makes could explain 9% of the difference.
Thanks for explaining nothing, Cal.
I just always assumed that my monthly budget allocation for electric would be higher in the summer (air conditioning?) and lower in the winter.
It has always worked that way for the forty-six years I have been paying Com Ed for service.
Now, I have no explanation why the bills are coming in so high!
Don’t use much electric in the winter.
The only thing left to turn off is the computer and the refrigerator.
You kinda ramble on, Cal, but if I’m following you… It appears that you have used about 23% more electricity in the more recent period. (I have no explanation for this, maybe you do, but it really doesn’t enter into the equation other than to function as your rate multiplier).
ComEd’s distribution charges are not a flat rate. They are based on so much per kWh of electricity used.
You used 23% more so it follows that your distribution charge would rise by a proportionate amount, doesn’t it? Your COMBINED rate for distribution charges (adding in or, more likely, breaking out the IL distribution charge – whatever that is) has actually decreased with the latest bill. Whether that is a function of an actual rate change or a quantity discount being applied… who knows.
Seems to me your electric usage is key here. Either you have a broken meter (not likely) or somebody is doing something with the electricity in your house that you’re not remembering.
Welcome to Smart Grid and Smart Meter. You can still fight the installation of these meters via your townships and village board meetings. However, Com Ed and Amren have spend millions smoozing politicians.
We need to fight this locally to win.
Respectfully,
Andrew Gasser