NC regulators approve Duke Energy rate hike

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http://www.blueridgenow.com/article/201 ... 0663?tc=ar

The rate hike increases to an overall average of 5.1 percent after two years.

Regulators say the typical residential electric bill would go up about $7.60 a month in 2015, to a monthly average of $110.

Just curious, is anyone's electric bill here under that average currently? Mine sure isn't.

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Mine is, significantly, even though my place is all electric. I'm guessing you live in an average size or bigger house. Remember that lots of us live in small houses, trailers, apartments or condos and some don't even have AC.

I sure wish I wasn't paying for nukes that will probably never be built, a pre-subsidy that no other energy source enjoys.

Hard to tell what's average for around here when I see nothing but mansions :> I guess the big hitters for me is air conditioning and the pump for the well. Perhaps have no water bill makes up the difference?

I can't imagine how to cut costs any more besides burning up :>

I'd say my average is around $120 in the summer.

[neoplacebo]

http://www.blueridgenow.com/article/201 ... 0663?tc=ar

The rate hike increases to an overall average of 5.1 percent after two years.

Regulators say the typical residential electric bill would go up about $7.60 a month in 2015, to a monthly average of $110.

Just curious, is anyone's electric bill here under that average currently? Mine sure isn't.

Mine probably averages that or a little less over a year; my last bill was $49.07 but it's around twice that in the winter. What I think is funny is how Duke sends you suggestions in the mail along with your bill on how to reduce your monthly cost of electricity, as if that's actually their goal.

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3000 square feet these days? I don't know, maybe a bit less. I think it was around 1500 square feet for our parents. Adding my combined water/sewer/garbage fee would get me closer to $110/month but only there in the coldest of months.

I think Duke may be offering free energy audits now. You probably know the basics - thermostat settings, efficient windows and doors, Energy Star appliances, full dishwashers and laundry loads, clothesline drying, compact fluorescent bulbs, water heater blanket, shutting everything down when you leave for a few days, filling up unused frig space with water bottles, turning off lights, powering down stand-by electronics, showering together , etc. I recently read but did not confirm that an iPhone uses more juice in a year than a frig does, wow.

I'd say I'm about 1400 sq/ft. ... and yeah, all that obvious stuff. Changing out windows and all that might be beneficial in the extremely long term.... but...

I think my bill starts dropping under $100 in the winter, so I'm looking forward to that.

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http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/25/busin ... ience&_r=0


Pretty on topic:
Bill Gates being brilliant as usual. cut throat businessman, but awesome philanthropist.

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Mine averages about $140 in the summer, but I knowingly and willingly use some that probably isn't actually necessary. Outdoor lighting, lots of electronics, yada. But the house is well-insulated, thermo pane windows, and energy-efficient appliances. I could probably cut it by a third easily, and in the winter it's less because the heat is gas.