More residents choosing alternative electric providers

20% of CT electric customers have now chosen an alternative provider for generation. you, too, can choose a better rate from this list. Read more about the trend in the article in the New Haven Register.

There has been some discussion about "re-regulating" the electric market in CT. Opponents claim that this would remove our right to choose alternatives (which is true) and further point out that the utility generation rates are higher than the alternatives. However, this does not necessarily mean that everyone's rates will go up if we eliminate the competitive market. States that have maintained the regulated monopolies have significantly lower overall rates than states like CT who have competitive markets. So your alternative provider might be saving you a penny or two over UI, but your rate is still 3 cents too high compared to the rest of the country.

The reasons for this are not 100% clear. Some may argue that we are now susceptible to market manipulation by the generation companies. Also, we now have an additional middle-man who serves as a broker between you and the generation companies. Regardless, re-regulating the market seems like an extremely difficult task. The utilities would have to buy back all the power plants that they sold off in the 90s. With only one buyer, how would they determine a fair price?

DPUC approves CL&P and UI rate changes

CL&P residential customers: -5.2%

CL&P small/med business: -4.6%

CL&P big industrial: +10.2%

UI customers: 0%

UI says increases in distribution charges are offset by corresponding decreases in generation charges.

More info in this story by Luther Turmelle.

All CT electric customers can select other options for the generation portion of the bill. Click here for a current list of providers and rates. The list also shows what portion of your energy comes from renewable sources (up to 100%).

PSEG makes nice with New Haven for new peaking plant

PSEG is planning to install three 40MW natural gas-fired "peaking" plants on their existing site in New Haven's East Shore neighborhood. After a series of negotiations with community groups, they have agreed to a plan that promises to reduce net emissions in the area. This includes a half-million dollar program to retrofit city trucks with particulate filters. PSEG has also promised to reduce output from the much larger and dirtier oil plant (formerly one of the sooty six) for a net reduction while the peaking plants are running.

Click here for a more detailed summary of the project.

According to a joint press release:

The final agreement, reached after three months of negotiation, will supply the state grid with sufficient power while creating a net reduction in air pollution. Terms of the agreement include the existing, older diesel-powered New Haven Harbor Station using more natural gas instead of diesel to produce power, reducing plant idling time from 14 hours to 12 hours, and contributing $500,000 to the new East Shore Air Quality Account – a fund to be used to further reduce pollution in the area through initiatives such as retrofitting garbage trucks with particulate filters. These reductions will more than offset emissions from the new peaking plants that are being built.

Click here for the press release (via www.newhavenindependent.org)

87% of CT is paying too much for electricity

It's been more than a decade since deregulation gave Connecticut electricity customers the right to choose an electricity provider. For many of those years, there was little or no choice but now, with utility rates in the stratosphere, there are many alternatives with lower rates. You can even get a 100% renewable energy option for LESS than the utility's standard rate.

Click here to see all the choices you have. To see your monthly savings, look at the total kWh on your bill and enter that number in the field near the top that says "Estimated monthly svings are based on...".

Most of these allow you to sign up on line. Be careful as some have contracts with cancellation fees. Also, some are variable rates, so you may want to keep up to date with the going rates and be ready to switch.

See CT Energy Info for more information and a list of top 10 misunderstanding regarding choosing an electric supplier.

Clearing up facts on CFLs

Please read my letter to the editor, published in the New Haven Register. Because there were a few editing snafus in the print version, I am posting the original below.

Here is editorial that I was respnding to.

Here is the published letter.

Dear Editor

I am responding to the New Haven Register's recent Editorial about energy efficiency legislation and light bulb technology. Take what side you will on the legislation, but please get the facts straight. First, compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) cost less than incandescents -- both at the counter and on your electric bill. A CFL is rated to last about eight times longer than an incandescent in the same application. For equivalent life, incandescent bulbs will total $.25x8=$2 at the counter. That's twice as expensive as the $1 CFLs I recently purchased. More significantly, efficient CFLs offer much higher savings through an immediate reductions on your electricity bill. At today's electric rates, each 60W bulb replaced with an equivalent CFL can save more than $70 over the life of the bulb.

The claim that CFLs emit less light is simply not true. Light output, measured in "lumens", can be found right on the package. Just select an output to meet your needs. You will find ratings to match equivalent incandescents. If you like the yellow color of incandescents, try a "soft white" CFL and/or use an appropriate lampshade. There have been improvements in this area so give it another go if you have been turned off in the past.

Most importantly, the notion that any incandescent can possibly compete with a CFL in terms of efficiency is laughable. An incandescent bulb is a resistance heater that sheds a little light in the process: for every 10 Watts of electricity in, 9 are shed as heat and 1 converted to visible light. The Phillips bulb referenced in your article has gained a respectable 30 percent in efficiency over a standard bulb. However, a typical CFL is 700 percent more efficient than an incandescent (10W input = 7W light + 3W heat). Is there really any contest here?

If you oppose CFL legislation because you don't like being told what to buy then so be it. But please don't throw money down the toilet because of myths and misinformation.

Power To The People

Don't miss Luther Turmelle's excellent energy blog.

Power To The People

Free energy audits still available for UI customers

UI offers "free" energy audits and energy-related improvements to many households within their customer base. The program is administered by United Illuminating and is funded by a state-mandated charge on your electric bill.

For more information on UI's program,

Call 877-WISE-USE

Click here for details from UI's website

or read this article in New Haven Register.

CL&P customers are offered a similar program (click here).