Comments on: Xcel Proposing to Raise Rates for Solar Customers http://www.bellaenergy.com/2009/07/xcel-proposing-to-raise-rates-for-solar-customers/ Colorado's Most Trusted Solar Energy Company Tue, 05 Apr 2011 01:49:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Stan Wagon http://www.bellaenergy.com/2009/07/xcel-proposing-to-raise-rates-for-solar-customers/comment-page-1/#comment-25 Stan Wagon Fri, 07 Aug 2009 23:12:59 +0000 http://www.bellaenergy.com/?p=1292#comment-25 I had some errors in my earlier posting. I have since spent a lot of time, including a conversation with Ted Niemi of XCel, the witness who composed the document presenting the proposal to PUC. It is all moot now, but one point that no one has picked up on is that a minimum charge encourages waste. If I am paying for X kwH every month from XCel, I may as well use them. Well, not exactly -- I would be paying for about X/4 because of the 2.6 cent charge. But the point is still that it is a min charge, encouraging me to use, at no cost, X/4 kwH. This is (was) a very bad approach. I had some errors in my earlier posting. I have since spent a lot of time, including a conversation with Ted Niemi of XCel, the witness who composed the document presenting the proposal to PUC. It is all moot now, but one point that no one has picked up on is that a minimum charge encourages waste. If I am paying for X kwH every month from XCel, I may as well use them. Well, not exactly — I would be paying for about X/4 because of the 2.6 cent charge. But the point is still that it is a min charge, encouraging me to use, at no cost, X/4 kwH. This is (was) a very bad approach.

]]> By: admin http://www.bellaenergy.com/2009/07/xcel-proposing-to-raise-rates-for-solar-customers/comment-page-1/#comment-13 admin Wed, 22 Jul 2009 22:47:12 +0000 http://www.bellaenergy.com/?p=1292#comment-13 Thank you for your comment and question... we will pass it along to our contacts and see if we can get an answer. Thank you for your comment and question… we will pass it along to our contacts and see if we can get an answer.

]]> By: Alain Valette http://www.bellaenergy.com/2009/07/xcel-proposing-to-raise-rates-for-solar-customers/comment-page-1/#comment-12 Alain Valette Wed, 22 Jul 2009 22:00:35 +0000 http://www.bellaenergy.com/?p=1292#comment-12 Concerning the update and the explanation for the plan, please ask them how net metered customers are some how not already paying their fair share. What exactly is it about net metered customers that makes it so expensive for them? If this passes, Xcel will in effect have tricked those who invested in solar panels into building a power plant for them. They get to sell the energy we produce and then charge us for energy we don't consume. Concerning the update and the explanation for the plan, please ask them how net metered customers are some how not already paying their fair share. What exactly is it about net metered customers that makes it so expensive for them? If this passes, Xcel will in effect have tricked those who invested in solar panels into building a power plant for them. They get to sell the energy we produce and then charge us for energy we don’t consume.

]]> By: admin http://www.bellaenergy.com/2009/07/xcel-proposing-to-raise-rates-for-solar-customers/comment-page-1/#comment-11 admin Wed, 22 Jul 2009 17:25:25 +0000 http://www.bellaenergy.com/?p=1292#comment-11 We have posted an update concerning the proposed rate change by Xcel Energy... <a href="http://www.bellaenergy.com/2009/07/xcel-energy-proposal-update/" rel="nofollow">You can view this update here...</a> We have posted an update concerning the proposed rate change by Xcel Energy…
You can view this update here…

]]> By: Paul Hartmann http://www.bellaenergy.com/2009/07/xcel-proposing-to-raise-rates-for-solar-customers/comment-page-1/#comment-9 Paul Hartmann Wed, 22 Jul 2009 15:20:59 +0000 http://www.bellaenergy.com/?p=1292#comment-9 This is stealing, plain and simple. I would like them to tell their regular customers that the new bill for the entire year is based on a month when we have ten days of 100 degree plus temps. Don't use your AC because it will cost you for an entire year! Just further proof that no good deed goes unpunished. This is stealing, plain and simple. I would like them to tell their regular customers that the new bill for the entire year is based on a month when we have ten days of 100 degree plus temps. Don’t use your AC because it will cost you for an entire year! Just further proof that no good deed goes unpunished.

]]> By: admin http://www.bellaenergy.com/2009/07/xcel-proposing-to-raise-rates-for-solar-customers/comment-page-1/#comment-10 admin Wed, 22 Jul 2009 03:45:09 +0000 http://www.bellaenergy.com/?p=1292#comment-10 <a href="http://www.dora.state.co.us/puc/DocketsDecisions/HighprofileDockets/09AL-299E_PSCoAL1535-E.htm" rel="nofollow">The docket proposal can be found by clicking this link...</a> The docket proposal can be found by clicking this link…

]]> By: Steve http://www.bellaenergy.com/2009/07/xcel-proposing-to-raise-rates-for-solar-customers/comment-page-1/#comment-8 Steve Wed, 22 Jul 2009 02:47:42 +0000 http://www.bellaenergy.com/?p=1292#comment-8 Can you please post a link to, or the text of, the actual proposal here? Thanks! Steve Can you please post a link to, or the text of, the actual proposal here?

Thanks!

Steve

]]> By: admin http://www.bellaenergy.com/2009/07/xcel-proposing-to-raise-rates-for-solar-customers/comment-page-1/#comment-7 admin Tue, 21 Jul 2009 23:02:43 +0000 http://www.bellaenergy.com/?p=1292#comment-7 As we currently understand the proposal, this is the intent of the proposed rate change by Xcel Energy. We are with you in that it makes no sense and certainly is not a positive action for renewable energy investment or the households that have chosen to invest in renewable energy. For these reasons we are asking all our customers and anyone who is considering solar to attend the PUC hearing and voice their opinion. As we currently understand the proposal, this is the intent of the proposed rate change by Xcel Energy. We are with you in that it makes no sense and certainly is not a positive action for renewable energy investment or the households that have chosen to invest in renewable energy. For these reasons we are asking all our customers and anyone who is considering solar to attend the PUC hearing and voice their opinion.

]]> By: hans http://www.bellaenergy.com/2009/07/xcel-proposing-to-raise-rates-for-solar-customers/comment-page-1/#comment-6 hans Tue, 21 Jul 2009 21:18:03 +0000 http://www.bellaenergy.com/?p=1292#comment-6 I left a note with the PUC: I strongly oppose the proposal, this change in the structure of electric utility charges is highly unjust and anti environmental! The basis at which PV system are installed will be completely overturned and the decision to install a PV system will have been completely wrong, this surely cannot be the intention of a pro-environment-government policy. I left a note with the PUC:

I strongly oppose the proposal, this change in the structure of electric utility charges is highly unjust and anti environmental!
The basis at which PV system are installed will be completely overturned and the decision to install a PV system will have been completely wrong, this surely cannot be the intention of a pro-environment-government policy.

]]> By: Stan Wagon http://www.bellaenergy.com/2009/07/xcel-proposing-to-raise-rates-for-solar-customers/comment-page-1/#comment-5 Stan Wagon Tue, 21 Jul 2009 20:22:50 +0000 http://www.bellaenergy.com/?p=1292#comment-5 Can this wording be true? I installed a large system recently. Suppose my electricity cost with no solar panel would be $600 a year, for an average of $50 a month. Suppose that in December my panels are completely covered in snow (this happened this year) requiring me to purchase, say, $65 worth of electricity from XCel. Dec. is darker and colder than July so usage in Dec. is above the $50 average. Then XCel wants to charge me $65 a month for the next 12 months. So my expense to XCel over the year would be 65 x 12 = $780. This would be MORE than if I had no solar PV system at all. So at this point the solar panels would be costing me money, and therefore I should put the entire system in the trash, and eat the $25,000.00 I paid for it. Is this really the intent of the request? Does this make sense to anyone? Can this wording be true? I installed a large system recently.

Suppose my electricity cost with no solar panel would be $600 a year, for an average of $50 a month.

Suppose that in December my panels are completely covered in snow (this happened this year) requiring me to purchase, say, $65 worth of electricity from XCel. Dec. is darker and colder than July so usage in Dec. is above the $50 average.

Then XCel wants to charge me $65 a month for the next 12 months. So my expense to XCel over the year would be 65 x 12 = $780. This would be MORE than if I had no solar PV system at all. So at this point the solar panels would be costing me money, and therefore I should put the entire system in the trash, and eat the $25,000.00 I paid for it.

Is this really the intent of the request? Does this make sense to anyone?

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