On Jan 28, 10:15*am, blueman wrote:
Jules writes:
... ours is on off-peak so gets 6c/kWh, but I can't remember the wattage
on the heater for ours either (and it normally runs for about an hour for
a full load)

It's amazing (to me) that our cost is almost 3x as high.
The total cost per kwh (including tax, generation, transmission, fees)
is a whopping 17.7 cent/kwh without any possibility of off-peak.

It's hard to believe that the "free market" price (in the absense of
governmental regulation) would be 3x as large particularly given that
electricity is:
*- An almost pure commodity (a volt is a volt is a volt)

But what it takes for fuel to generate the power is a huge factor and
varies widely. The areas with the lowest electric prices are
usually the ones driven off hydro-electric. Unfortunately, because of
geography, most areas of the country don't have that available.

And also factor in labor rates, materials costs, land costs, etc.
What it costs to build a sub-station or run a new transmission line
near Niagra falls is going to be a whole lot different than one in
northern NJ or San Francisco.





*- Transportable (and relatively efficiently too with new power line
* * * * * * * * * technology)
*- Easily buyable/sellable
*- Mature technology