Posted on 06/12/2011 12:57:54 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
Have you had a lot of fun watching the price of gasoline shoot out of sight this year at the pump? That will be just the appetizer. Thanks to new regulations from the Obama administration, power companies will shut down a significant number of coal-fired plants by 2014, and without any other reliable sources of mass-produced electricity, consumers will see their bills go up as much as 60% (via Instapundit and Newsalert):
Consumers could see their electricity bills jump an estimated 40 to 60 percent in the next few years.
The reason: Pending environmental regulations will make coal-fired generating plants, which produce about half the nation’s electricity, more expensive to operate. Many are expected to be shuttered.
The increases are expected to begin to appear in 2014, and policymakers already are scrambling to find cheap and reliable alternative power sources. If they are unsuccessful, consumers can expect further increases as more expensive forms of generation take on a greater share of the electricity load.
You won’t just pay more to the utility company, either. The Chicago Tribune runs the math on public-sector cost increases in just their city:
What analysts know is that a portion of ComEd bills that pays electricity generators to reserve a portion of their power three years into the future will increase more than fourfold. That would translate into increases of $107 to $178 a year for an average residential customer in ComEd’s territory, starting in 2014, according to calculations by Chris Thomas, policy director for consumer advocacy group Citizens Utility Board.
In 2014 those so-called capacity costs are expected to add approximately $2.7 million over the previous year to electricity bills in Chicago Public Schools, $3.3 million for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District and $5.4 million to the city of Chicago, according to an analysis by Tenaska, aNebraska-based power development company that wants to develop a coal-fed power plant in central Illinois that would meet stringent regulations because it would capture and sequester emissions.
It’s the EPA gift that keeps on … taking.
On the other hand, we can consider this a rarity — an Obama promise kept:
Obama told the Chronicle:
The problem is not technical, uh, and the problem is not mastery of the legislative intricacies of Washington. The problem is, uh, can you get the American people to say, “This is really important,” and force their representatives to do the right thing? That requires mobilizing a citizenry. That requires them understanding what is at stake. Uh, and climate change is a great example.
You know, when I was asked earlier about the issue of coal, uh, you know — Under my plan of a cap and trade system, electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket. Even regardless of what I say about whether coal is good or bad. Because I’m capping greenhouse gases, coal power plants, you know, natural gas, you name it — whatever the plants were, whatever the industry was, uh, they would have to retrofit their operations. That will cost money. They will pass that money on to consumers.
They — you — you can already see what the arguments will be during the general election. People will say, “Ah, Obama and Al Gore, these folks, they’re going to destroy the economy, this is going to cost us eight trillion dollars,” or whatever their number is. Um, if you can’t persuade the American people that yes, there is going to be some increase in electricity rates on the front end, but that over the long term, because of combinations of more efficient energy usage, changing lightbulbs and more efficient appliance, but also technology improving how we can produce clean energy, the economy would benefit.
If we can’t make that argument persuasively enough, you — you, uh, can be Lyndon Johnson, you can be the master of Washington. You’re not going to get that done.
Even without cap-and-trade — or perhaps more accurately, even with a backdoor carbon tax through regulatory adventurism — Obama kept his promise to have electricity rates skyrocketing, and putting the burden on consumers, business, and taxpayers. Who said that every Obama promise comes with an expiration date?
The enviros don’t want geothermal development. They don’t want biomass cogeneration. They don’t want wind. They don’t want hydro. They don’t want coal. The only acceptable sources seem to be solar and natural gas. Ain’t gonna cut it baby.
With WHAT money?? Who will be able to afford gas, tires, oil, maintenance, ammo, hoppes #9 (should be at the top of the list, but...), etc..etc..
Who will make and transport the goods with a crashed economy and NO energy?
This is a systematic and purposeful demise of America. The "ones" that get that are stocking up now. But we are very, very limited in numbers.
How do you propose that the side you fancy yourself on during said civil war is going to operate?? Do you honestly think our federal government in its current capacity would NOT turn all that groovy night equipment against US in the event of an uprising?
“Thanks to new regulations from the Obama administration, power companies will shut down a significant number of coal-fired plants by 2014, and without any other reliable sources of mass-produced electricity, consumers will see their bills go up as much as 60%”
And don’t forget the Grey Davis California style rolling blackouts!
As a factual matter I just want to add that the price of electricity has increased in my country, Spain, 25% under the Socialist rule.
I hope so...One sure fire way of getting this crap out of the Whitey Hut forever.
If solar was viable they’d found some critter living on the silica used to build panels to place it on the endangered species list. They don’t want energy, period. Or, more like, they want energy for themselves, so everybody else has to buy it from them.
Windmills, Don quixote’?
This guy should not only be removed from office he should be imprisoned.
Americans aren’t that stupid. Some were snowed by the media and voted for affirmative action. It didn’t help that 2008 was an economic disaster and the R candidate was selected by the Dems and the media. But Americans are not that stupid, they will not vote for economic suicide.
No more of this crap, bozo! You’re driving the America we love to the brink of disastor. If you’re incapable of making adult decisions yourself, let bite me handle it. It certainly couldn’t be any worse.
Pepsi is banned from my house!!!
Natural gas prices will also be forced up dramatically. It takes at least a pair of 16” pipelines to fuel a 200 megawatt combustion turbine.
Not to mention the security risk of those pipelines.
Google Earth a coal plant and you can see barges or rail supplying the coal, and the plant often having a large pile of coal on site. Now take one of Barry's Muslim friends or an Earth Liberation Front pal of the Left to disrupt the pipeline (or for that matter a cold snap that blacked out Texas during the SuperBowl), and the power goes off NOW and stays off until the pipe is repaired and legions of Federal Bureaucrats nap their way through the myriads upon myriads of regulations, permits and forms that need to be reviewed before the plant can be restarted.
As more and more of our paychecks go into the black hole of energy costs, the remaining will go less and less into the general money circulation. That part of the economic equation will kill the American economy.
I’m installing solar panels. Looks to be about $35-45,000 for a 8.5kw system. Spendy, but it is calculated to pay for itself in 10-14 years (less if this article proves true). With an estimated life span of 30-35 years, it should be a good investment. I agree with you though, I’m absolutely positive that the technology will improve dramatically in the next 10 years and then rapidly increase after that, but can a person really afford to wait until the technology is perfect? Nope. Get the bets deal you can now that makes economical sense and upgrade later (if I live that long).
Not true. Obama will be rightfully blamed here.
The only blame Unions will get here with regard to this issue would be for supporting him.
A lot of things we buy will be up 60% by 2014; gasoline and metals have already gone up more than that.
As much as it pains me to say it, the looming “electricity crisis” isn’t solely the fault of the Obama Administration. It has been building for over thirty years. Its the child of both political parties and manifold groups of watermelons’ thoughtless, short-sighted regulatory, air quality and environmental policies, not to mention countless PUC’s edicts at state level.
Unfortunately, IMNUO, like the icefisherman, we’ve ignored the warning creaks of previous blackouts/brownouts and now face a sudden plunge into deep, dark waters. >PS
I live in sunny Oregon ..ha...and where I work there is a covered walkway that has solar panels all over the roof. I was told this provides all the power for the whole childcare center with power left over.
The thing that gets me is that Obama’s reason for doing any of this is totally made up. If he was really concerned for the environment he’d turn down the heat in the WH and quit flying AF1 all over the place and tell the moose he’s married to that she has to stay home more often. Oh, and another war...how many emissions is that creating? Typical Communist Hypocrite.
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