On Wed, 14 Mar 2012 10:44:03 -0400, George
wrote:

On 3/14/2012 9:56 AM, Edge wrote:
In northern Illinois where I live, electricity is provided by ComEd.
However ComEd is really two companies. One delivers electricity and
the other generates electricity. In my last bill, that portion that
was billed for "Electricity Supply Services" accounted for only 55
percent of the total bill. As the guy who writes the checks, the
simple formula I use is Total Cost / kWh. This comes out to $0.149 per
kWh. On the bill the stated cost of a kWh is only $0.06968.

Thats pretty common and standard practice after utilities were deregulated.

Our NG bill is in the same format, so much for the gas and then so much
for the cost of delivering it.

I have to pay for meter rental. $25 a month above the electric usage.
I have several electric meters in my garage which came off houses that
were being demolished. I called the power company and told them that
they can come get their meter, and I will use my own. Of course they
said they can not do that. When I asked why, they said that their meter
is the only kind that will work. I told them that my meter is exactly
the same kind, and I'll bring it to their office and show it to them.
After a big run-around on the phone, I had some guy who claimed to be
the president and he said that they are not allowed to use any meters
except their own, and that I am not allowed to use mine. When I asked
why, he said "sorry, that's the rule we must follow and I can not change
it".

In other words, they can rip me off $25 a month just because they can!
That's $300 a year going in their pockets for a meter that probably only
cost them a one time fee of $100, and every year they take $300 for that
same meter. I'm seriously looking into my own generator along with
solar panels.

Just to add to this, a neighbor has 3 meters on his farm, and is paying
$75 a month for them. One is for his house, another for a rental house,
and the 3rd for his barn. He pays the electric for the rental house as
part of the rent, and all he has in his barn are lights and a few
heaters for his chickens. I told him to at least get rid of the barn
meter and put it on his own house meter. I'll be helping him do that
this summer. I also explained to him that he can put all 3 on the same
meter and still put his own meter (after the one from the power company)
to monitor what the tenants use. He'll be saving $50 a month / $600 a
year.