Juneau (our nearest US capitol at 1,000 miles away) recently lost their electrical infrastructure. An avalanche breached the power lines from the hydroelectric generators. As a consequence, electricity must be generated from diesel-fueled generators which are much more expensive. The story reported by APRN.org,
http://aprn.org/2008/04/16/avalanches-drive-up-electricity-costs-in-juneau/ noted that costs per kilowatt hour were expected to go from 11 cents to 40 to 50 cents.
My ears perked at this because in Bethel I “normally” pay 40 cents or so per kwh, with the Power Cost Equalization subsidy that the state legislature (who meets in usually cheap Juneau) sometimes provides. Businesses in Bethel pay quite a bit more.
Some Juneau people have been concerned enough at the sudden increase in electrical rates to request a declaration of emergency.
Mr Nels Anderson, Jr. on the Nushagak (our sister rivershed) has very good ideas to consider in this APRN interview. Dillingham’s rates are only slightly less than Bethel’s.
Phillip Munger at Progressive Alaska reprints Mr Anderson’s letter to Gov. Palin which stresses that the crisis in Alaska power rates is not just in Juneau.
I am hoping that our Rural elected leaders, regional organizations, state-wide organizations will insist that village energy needs be considered along with Juneau. Juneau does have a serious problem but all of our villages do as well.
Read more about Mr Anderson and his letter here http://progressivealaska.blogspot.com/2008/04/
- How much do you normally pay for electricity?
- Bethel
0.39/kwh plus something called “customer charge” (flat $10.98) plus 6% sales tax
For 390 kwh (about the very least usage possible) costs $172.19 Power cost equalization knocks off $0.2162 or $84.32 for final total of $87.87
- Dillingham
31 cents/kwh plus $9 surcharge
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Juneau electricity crisis more than a local problem
Juneau’s huge power-cost jump could have statewide impacts. The capital city’s electric rate is part of the Power-Cost Equalization program formula. That means subsidies to rural residents could be affected.
Ed Schoenfeld, CoastAlaska – Juneau
http://aprn.org/2008/04/29/juneau-electricity-crisis-more-than-a-local-problem/
State won’t recommend disaster aid for Juneau
JUNEAU — Gov. Sarah Palin’s disaster policy cabinet will not be recommending state disaster status for Juneau after avalanches severed its source of low-cost hydropower.
http://ADN.com
Dermot Cole at the Fairbanks Daily News Miner says that Fairbanks ratepayers pay 17 cents per kwh
Whether we are forced to pay an extra 3 cents or an extra dollar per kWh, the point is a private monopoly interest was empowered by our government to maintain our lines and charge us for our electricity in return for their managing it. They breached their contract by not taking reasonable steps to avoid a catastrophe that they were warned would happen, that they could have inexpensively avoided, and that they never had any interest in avoiding. Their actions demonstrate that they wanted this to happen.
When they announced that they would be burning more deisel than air quality safety standards would allow and how much they thought it would cost, they were approached by cleaner burning natural gas with a plan that would cut the cost of fueling Juneau by 1/3 but again they have no interest, just as our representatives have shown no interest in forcing them to honor their contract or to take over the management of our energy utility in the public interest.
In short, they invited disaster, did nothing to aleviate it, and intend to make the working class responsible for this disaster. Those who cannot pay will lose their homes. Nice new homes will be built in our little landlocked space, and a sweet profit will be earned by destroying the lives of every working class resident. This disaster has paralels to Katrina. Rather than helping victims, the government is turning us over to industry and they are profiting together at the expense of the victims.
If the bush communities think they have it bad now, wait until they come for you.
“in Valdez we pay 24 cents a kWh, that includes the fuel/purchased power.”
http://community.adn.com/adn/adn_pubstory_425940#comment-255366