HELCO rates question...

[Guest]

quote:

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Originally posted by HADave

It is amazing sometimes the kinds of things that unsuspectantly drive the power bill up,............

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The power is "flowing" to most appliances whether the Unit is on or off. It's just not as much Juice when it's turned off.

From the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy:

Home electronics and small household appliances (such as televisions (TVs), video cassette recorders (VCRs), telephone answering machines, cordless phones, portable power tools, office equipment, etc.) draw energy not only when they are in use, but also when the power is ostensibly off. This phenomenon is known as "leaking electricity."

So what this really means... is UNPLUG things that aren't in use often:

Toasters, Coffee Makers, Microwaves, Electric Razors & Toothbrush's, Video Game Systems, etc.

All of the above items will "leak" electricity when not actually in use... so simply unplugging items can help a lot.

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Coming home soon!

[marcia]

I certainly don't claim to know much about the electricity situation on the Big Island. I do know that electric rates can be significantly impacted in areas of high growth. I am wondering how much the recent growth has contributed to the electric rates in Puna. Generating power plants are extremely capital intensive and the pay back is generally 30-40 years or more. Baseload generation that is on 24 hours is generally less expensive than the peaking units that have to fired up in a hurry and run for short periods of time just to meet demand. I see that on their web site, HELCO lists their peaking time from 5 pm to 9 pm. Understandable, since everyone is probably getting home from work and using various appliances during that time. Does HELCO offer an off peak rate? Maybe...just maybe... if enough people were to shift their use of dishwashers, clothes dryers, etc. off peak, HELCO could delay bringing expensive peaking units online. Theoretically, it seems to me this should help future electric rates as well as be better for our environment. I wonder what resource planning HELCO is doing to meet the future growth projections?

I dunno...just thinking out loud.

Marcia

[Carey]

HELCO does not offer residential off peak rates.

[aikahimomma]

i think one reason mine is so high is my uv light and water pump...something i never had on that other isle...and you know what gtill (gordon i think?)-the HELCO service is actually better than HECO...my power does not go out near as much here as it did over there! [:0]

[gtill]

Aikahimom, living on north shore Oahu, our electric went out constantly at one time, however after enough bitching about it was finally fixed, and is pretty steady today. Just where did the 7.? % increase go, did they miss their profit goal? Remember they are the worst kind of a for profit company, namely a monoply with their fingers going way beyond the island into the very supply of their fuel!

[Guest]

There is a program out there to provide some one time rebates as well as long term savings if you install solar water heaters.

Hawaii Electric Light Company (HELCO), provide one-time rebates to qualifying customers who install solar water heaters....The Residential Energy Solutions program for solar water heater rebate offers $1,000 for retrofits or systems installed on new construction in the service territory of HECO, MECO or HELCO

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Coming home soon!

[gtill]

That's going to payoff in Volcano (Royal Hawaiian?)! We're out of solar payoff zones!
The hot water does work though, probably pays off better than PV!