Two tiered electric

[mjdecock]

It is my understanding that the BC utilities commision implemented the two tier electric system to stop energy abuse. They now realize it is an unfair system when you do not consider square footage on a house and have retracted this unfair practice. Fortis now says they will implement the change over a five year period. It is my assumption that they are implementing the change slowly because they will upset the majority of the customers.

The result is my bill is over 1000 dollars in the coldest winter months as a pensioner this is just not acceptable. I have tried to minimize the impact by keeping the heat low, wearing gloves and extra clothes. I have turned to putting plastic over the openings I do not need in the winter.

How can an unfair practice not be changed immediately. They actually should be reinbursing us for this practice. You have to ask yourself where it will stop. Will they do the same thing on natural gas, gas at the pump, etc...

I do appreciate the couple of cents they lowered the top tier portion of my bill this year. I guess the transition at this rate will take a couple of hundred years.



Thanks

[TylerM4]

Costs are costs. For every dollar you save, it's a dollar someone else has to pay.

I don't understand why you think it's "unfair" if size of the home isn't considered. The 2-tier system is supposed to encourage energy efficiency and a reduction in usage. Rewarding people for inefficient usage (like heating a large home when a smaller home would do) is completely against why it's used. It's essentially a luxury tax on energy.

I would support a higher tier 2 threshold for properties where natural gas service isn't available. I suspect this would apply to you.

If you want to lower your bill, here's some suggestions in order of effectiveness:
- Downsize
- Switch to a less costly heating option. (Eg. Natural Gas, Propane, or Wood)
- Switch to a more efficient heating option (Eg, Heat pump vs resistance heat)
- Make efficiency improvements to your home such that it requires less energy to heat (Eg. More insulation)

I'm not a huge fan of the 2-tier system myself, but I can understand why it's being used and I do think it is effective at motivating people to take steps to reduce their energy consumption.

[alanjh595]

The result is my bill is over 1000 dollars in the coldest winter months

My good gawd....what are you heating and what type of heat are you using? Where are you located? There is something wrong with that number.

[pmaria]

The result is my bill is over 1000 dollars in the coldest winter months

My good gawd....what are you heating and what type of heat are you using? Where are you located? There is something wrong with that number.

Thats what I'm thinking. I pay around $200 every 2 months for a 1400sqft town home with gas heating. The gas is around $40 during the coldest months.

[TylerM4]

Thats what I'm thinking. I pay around $200 every 2 months for a 1400sqft town home with gas heating. The gas is around $40 during the coldest months.

Gas heating is way less costly than electric resistance which is what I suspect OP has. Electric resistance heating is the most expensive way to heat. I also suspect $1000 is for 2 months as most electric companies bill bi-monthly.

But yeah it's crazy. For under $1000 a year in natural gas I:
- Heat my 30yo 2400sqft home
- Heat my 1200sqft detached workshop
- Heat my hot water for a family of 4

[alanjh595]

There is something fishy about that story.

[stardriftinhorses]

Ours is high too in the winter, around $900 per month, house is older apx 2400sqft, we don’t use heat downstairs and keep the upper at 60f. We do what we can to keep the cost down, unfortunately with baseboard heating and no ducting other types of heating aren’t an option.

[Trīewth]

Ours is high too in the winter, around $900 per month, house is older apx 2400sqft, we don’t use heat downstairs and keep the upper at 60f. We do what we can to keep the cost down, unfortunately with baseboard heating and no ducting other types of heating aren’t an option.

Using published Fortis rates, That means about 6,100 kWh in a month! That's really high.

[stardriftinhorses]

Yup... it depends on the outside temperature obviously if it’s a milder year it’s less, usually around $700. The flip side it’s only around $100 in the summer

[Bsuds]

We have Fortis gas and electric and spend approx 25-2700 per year for both.

2500 sq ft home and air conditioning in the Summer

[OKkayak]

Thought electricity was supposed to be this cheap, green energy source all those envirolunatics want us to switch over to?

[GordonH]

OP'er you may want to check to see if your home has enough insulation, imo you have major heat loss.

[TylerM4]

Thought electricity was supposed to be this cheap, green energy source all those envirolunatics want us to switch over to?

Not sure if you're actually serious on this or not.

Cost isn't too bad if you use an efficient system like a heat pump, tho still not as cheap as high efficiency NG.
Most of what I've seen has been focused on electric vehicles. There's no doubt electricity is cheaper than gasoline/diesel.

[dontrump]

It is my understanding that the BC utilities commision implemented the two tier electric system to stop energy abuse. They now realize it is an unfair system when you do not consider square footage on a house and have retracted this unfair practice. Fortis now says they will implement the change over a five year period. It is my assumption that they are implementing the change slowly because they will upset the majority of the customers.

The result is my bill is over 1000 dollars in the coldest winter months as a pensioner this is just not acceptable. I have tried to minimize the impact by keeping the heat low, wearing gloves and extra clothes. I have turned to putting plastic over the openings I do not need in the winter.

How can an unfair practice not be changed immediately. They actually should be reinbursing us for this practice. You have to ask yourself where it will stop. Will they do the same thing on natural gas, gas at the pump, etc...

I do appreciate the couple of cents they lowered the top tier portion of my bill this year. I guess the transition at this rate will take a couple of hundred years.



Thanks

wow I have never ever heard of a $1000 per month non commercials power bill???

[dontrump]

The result is my bill is over 1000 dollars in the coldest winter months

My good gawd....what are you heating and what type of heat are you using? Where are you located? There is something wrong with that number.[/quote]

Thats what I'm thinking. I pay around $200 every 2 months for a 1400sqft town home with gas heating. The gas is around $40 during the coldest months.[/quote]


I have never heard of anyone in the north ok only getting a $40 PM winter heat bill ? I say that's impossible unless u must keep the thermostat at like 44 F hell my HW,bbq and stove in summer is like $35