Even Before Long Winter Begins, Energy Bills Send Shivers in New England

New York Times ^ | DEC. 13, 2014 | KATHARINE Q. SEELYE

[OddLane]

SALEM, N.H. — John York, who owns a small printing business here, nearly fell out of his chair the other day when he opened his electric bill.

For October, he had paid $376. For November, with virtually no change in his volume of work and without having turned up the thermostat in his two-room shop, his bill came to $788, a staggering increase of 110 percent. “This is insane,” he said, shaking his head. “We can’t go on like this.”

For months, utility companies across New England have been warning customers to expect sharp price increases, for which the companies blame the continuing shortage of pipeline capacity to bring natural gas to the region.

[machogirl]

Wonder when the Middle Class Dems figure out the wealthy Hypocrite-Dems will always be able to afford heat?

[Moonman62]

Those six states are largely Libtard - they oppose fracking, pipelines, even a transmission line to bring in hydro-power.

...

Those states have more conservatives than liberals. However, they are ruled my Democrats, and Republicans who ignore conservatives.

[willywill]

“Venezuela called, they want their cheap propaganda oil pack.”

(jerk store, jerk store is the line)
yes, I love it. and, when joe, comes back with “well, I had sex with your wife, as a kennedy, there’s a good chance he did.

[familyop]

There are no power lines, natural gas lines or phone lines within several miles of me, but that’s good advice for most folks.

BTW, way back when, I was down that way. The combined electric and gas utility there (PS) was one of the cheapest utilities I’d ever used. Utility bills were much higher back in the Midwest (way, way back when). Have rates gone up there?

[Ozark Tom]

The system in place allows first dibs on “fixed rate” gas contracts to distributors serving home heating customers. Any residual capacity is bid in the “spot” market, which the electrical generating facilities are relegated to.

Coal and nuclear plants were in the mix, but the gas fired plants have moved from 12% to 45% of the mix in a decade, without supplementing the gas delivery system sized only for residential heating demand.

Nimby and the windmill crowd are sinking prospects for improvement, at least until enough residents actually freeze.

[familyop]

On PS having low rates compared to power companies in the Midwest, that was over 15 years ago, BTW.

[mowowie]

Yea i retired my 1500 watt ceramic heater that i liked below my desk last year.
THAT thing was a killer...

[ansel12]

As the master of frugal, I can tell you guys about some products that will keep you warm and draw almost no electricity, Shop for your best price or maker of these products.

The 200 watt heater at the bottom of the list will cost 32cents a day running for 10 hours, at 16cents per kilowatt hour, or $9.60 per month, running for 10 hours a day for a 30 day month.

If you sit at a desk when computing then get this foot pad, it draws 90 watts of electricity, but only 45 watts if you buy the extra switch which gives you the option of 45 watts.
45 watts is all you will want, the 90 watts is far too hot.
FOOT PAD http://www.amazon.com/Cozy-Products-FW-Warmer-Heated/dp/B000079896/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418535169&sr=8-1&keywords=heat+foot+pad&pebp=1418535171084
EXTRA SWITCH http://www.amazon.com/Cozy-Products-HI-LO-Remote-Control/dp/B001FOPQQI/ref=pd_sim_hg_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=0C4WD24GTM09NFJQG8XH

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Heating pad for your mattress http://www.amazon.com/Sunbeam-MA7201-030-000-Heated-Electric-Mattress/dp/B00544B1BY/ref=sr_1_1?s=bedbath&ie=UTF8&qid=1418535307&sr=1-1&keywords=heating+pad+bed&pebp=1418535309675

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200 watt heater that really takes the edge off in a small room, but is very effective under your desk, or pointed right at you. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0058V9SB8/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=2EPW9ISNDNSOJ&coliid=IAQGVEA5LKLJ7&psc=1

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Right this minute I am in a small office with my 45 watts of foot pad going, and a 60 watt light bulb burning behind me and 18 inches from the back of my office chair for heat, with the laptop and monitor contributing heat. If it were colder, then I would turn off the 60 watt bulb and flip on the 200 watt heater that is 2 feet behind my chair.

[mowowie]

Like my buddy Mike living in Watertown MA.
Makes me sometimes wish i was single...

[Vince Ferrer]

Those six states are largely Libtard - they oppose fracking, pipelines, even a transmission line to bring in hydro-power.

If we were smart we could use this as a teachable moment and turn those states red.

[OneWingedShark]

Let the pipes freeze.

Possibly expensive solution.

[Ozark Tom]

See the Chiefio at:

https://chiefio.wordpress.com/2013/04/16/diy-power-and-load-leveling/

[ansel12]

**”Yea i retired my 1500 watt ceramic heater that i liked below my desk last year.
THAT thing was a killer...”**

Here is another high quality heater that I own, and that should be useful for you.

This Vornado heater has a high of 750 watts, and a low of 375 watts, get the 200 watt heater linked in post 48, and you should be able to maximize your efficiency of getting adequate heat for the small area that you want, at the absolute lowest electricity usage, and both heaters are of high quality.

Make the Vornado your powerhouse heater for the first hour or so, and then switch to the 200 watter.

http://www.amazon.com/Vornado-VH101-Personal-Space-Heater/dp/B002EVC1NW

[ansel12]

There are a couple of different makers of these type sensors.

Farm Innovators TC-3 Cold Weather Thermo Cube Thermostatically Controlled Outlet - On at 35-Degrees/Off at 45-Degrees

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006U2HD2/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=2EPW9ISNDNSOJ&coliid=I1GUXEMI65CJL5&psc=1

[mowowie]

Thank you for the info

[OneWingedShark]

Thanks for the link.

[ROCKLOBSTER]

If we were smart we could use this as a teachable moment and turn those states red.

Maine is mostly red. Except for Pot-land.

[familyop]

"Nimby and the windmill crowd are sinking prospects for improvement, at least until enough residents actually freeze."

Agreed! I like small wind turbines (10-20 foot rotors), but only if they're home built (including home built alternators on trailer hubs because of the gusts that kill small commercial turbines). And only because it's very often extremely windy in this spot at over 9,000 feet elevation in the winter. PV solar is still much nicer to use, though (no yearly disassembly for maintenance).

But subsidies for wind turbines in most areas (like MO...been there) are big ripoffs. I wouldn't have a wind turbine in the Ozarks, although a solar hot water and space heating system or rocket mass heater would still be very nice there. There are not enough frequent, strong winds in MO for wind turbines (unlike my area and parts of Wyoming--climate unlike weather in most places). Most parts of the country are not suitable for wind power.

NIMBYs are even worse! They won't allow gas drilling here, unless the drillers slip monstrous bucks to local regulators (NIMBY enforcement). They won't allow uranium exploration at all and spread all kinds of tales to stop it. There's no point. They're only making trouble. They go on about property values, but they should realize that real estate will continue going down for decades. They should have built small and efficient instead of playing big shots to become victims of the Ponzi scheme real estate market, which has long been hugely overpriced.

[familyop]

That thermostat outlet is pretty neat. ;-)

[familyop]

"Possibly expensive solution."

Very expensive. I was joking. Heat tape is good for pipes, BTW, if well placed in short lengths (7 watts per foot last time I looked). Heating small areas can help much, too Paul Wheaton did some experimentation.

micro heaters cut 87% off my electric heat bill
REALLY saving energy by heating the person instead of the whole house
http://www.richsoil.com/electric-heat.jsp