Heating cost going up?

[shadows]

I get it by the morning TW that ONG wants to open its consumers check books to insure their profits on the natural gas that they are paying near twice the market price for because of the past future purchasing.

Their reasoning is that by insulating our homes we are using less natural gas therefore they are not getting the guaranteed return on their investment.

Is it not confusing to be able to get credit for making one's home more fuel efficient then increase the price of the heating cost because of less usage of heating by natural gas?      

[Ibanez]

If the Corporation Commision lets that happen they all need to be thrown out of office and banned from ever holding any other public office for the rest of their lives.

[patric]

quote:Originally posted by wavoka

If the Corporation Commision lets that happen they all need to be thrown out of office and banned from ever holding any other public office for the rest of their lives.

Didnt they already allow something like that last year when AEP was granted an "adjustment" to cover costs associated with people conserving electricity?

The Corporation Commission doesnt really work for us, btw, and if you noticed their election rhetoric last fall was all about the oil industry and not a word about Gas and Electric utilities.

[sauerkraut]

The cost of heat is my biggest expense right now. People can live without A/C -and they did 100 years ago before A/C was around, but you can't live without heat. We need heat.

[Steve]

I have been on the average monthly plan with AEP-PSO for about 5 years.  During that time, my monthly payment has jumped from $45 to $78 as of last month, in spite of conserving whenever possible.  I use approx. 25% less monthly electricity today, yet my monthly bill has increased 70%.

ONG is just as bad.  I am "pay as you go" with them.  What chaps me is that the spot price of natural gas has been around $5-6 for many months now, yet my last gas bill shows a charge of $7.59.  (I really pity the poor folks that signed up for the rip-off fixed price program at $11.  They really got screwed.)  And now ONG wants even more rate increases to guarantee a return on equity of 12% or more.  Bite my *ss, ONG.  

My home phone bill rates from AT&T just took a leap too.  This is insanity.

Maybe a few years of economic depression and price deflation is just what this country needs.

[Conan71]

quote:Originally posted by wavoka

If the Corporation Corruption Commision lets that happen they all need to be thrown out of office and banned from ever holding any other public office for the rest of their lives.

There, fixed your post for you...

[nathanm]

quote:Originally posted by Steve


Maybe a few years of economic depression and price deflation is just what this country needs.

If we weren't such a debtor nation (both privately and publicly), I might agree. As it stands, deflation would decimate our economy beyond belief.

Not that I quite grasp why at&t is raising telephone rates. It's not as if their cost basis has increased significantly in the last few years.

[bbriscoe]

quote:Originally posted by sauerkraut

The cost of heat is my biggest expense right now. People can live without A/C -and they did 100 years ago before A/C was around, but you can't live without heat. We need heat.

Only some people can live without A/C.  100 years ago we were in a mini-ice age.  And some people did die without A/C.  Just as hundreds of people still die every year when there is a big heat wave in Chicago or someplace without widespread A/C.

Lots of asthmatics and others with severe allergies and respertory issues would not be alive today if not for A/C and other modern technologies.

BTW, how much do you pay for your heat if it is your biggest expense?  I just put in new windows and my bill hasn't been much over $160-180 this winter in a 1700 ft house.  I also burn some wood which I can cut for free.

[bbriscoe]

quote:Originally posted by nathanm

quote:Originally posted by Steve


Maybe a few years of economic depression and price deflation is just what this country needs.

If we weren't such a debtor nation (both privately and publicly), I might agree. As it stands, deflation would decimate our economy beyond belief.

Long term deflation would hurt our economy regardless of debt.  Just look at Japan.  If everyone expects that hard cash will be worth more next year than it is now, then investment will basically stop and there will be no new jobs.  Nobody would buy property with the expectation of prices continuing to drop.  Banks would have to pay a zero or negative interest rate on savings accounts, which doesn't make economic sense.

Studies have shown that a low (1-4%) positive rate of inflation causes the most healthy levels of economic growth.  Higher inflation can lead to a recession, but deflation can easily cause a full-blown depression.