On Mon, 3 Jan 2011 18:09:02 -0500, "EXT" wrote:


"JIMMIE" wrote in message
...
My heatpump is already backed up by NG. It also switches over to NG
when outside temp is about 40F, so why add heatstrips. Rumor has it
that in the next couple of years we are going to net metering of our
electrical use. This means nightime rates will be around 2 or 3 cent
per KWH. This would make electricity cheaper than NG.

Do you really believe that electricity will ever be that cheap. Rates are
not local, it is what your utility or provider has to pay for it when
competing with other utilities. So your rates will be comparable to others,
even to mine, which is not cheap.

Electricity rates vary *widely* across the country, for many reasons.

We used to have the cheapest rates in
North America, now we are in the most expensive category. We were constantly
told that "time of day meters" would give us cheaper electricity. Now that
it is a reality, rates have gone up.

But they would have gone up more! (see: "jobs created or saved") ;-)

Nighttime rates are close to what they
were all the time with daytime, peak time rates much higher. So basically,
what you are paying now, is what you will pay in off hours, the prime time
rates will be much more expensive.

You're contradicting what you said above. Rates *do* vary across the country.

This is the same garbage that was spewed about deregulation of natural gas
and electricity. It did not get cheaper. I used to work for a natural gas
utility, when it contracted for gas it would purchase gas for the next 20
years, this gave stability and predictability to the prices. Now with
customers moving back and forth from provider to provider no one can predict
their customer's needs so the gas is all purchased now on the spot market,
which is premium priced and fluctuates daily and according to season. So
much for cheaper gas. Meddling with what works often creates chaos.

Anyone in the energy business that doesn't buy energy contracts is either
stupid or is in Kalifornika.