#PUCO second year

[ohioelectricityrates]

PUCO Holding Public Hearings for Duke Energy Rate Hike

New Post has been published on https://www.ohenergyratings.com/blog/puco-holding-public-hearings-for-duke-energy-rate-hike/

PUCO Holding Public Hearings for Duke Energy Rate Hike

Duke Energy Rates To Increase

Duke Energy has proposed an ESP plan that will raise all Cincinnati electricity customers rates by $135. Learn how you can participate in the PUCO hearing and how to save on your bills!

It’s time to hop back on the rate increase train. Duke Energy Ohio filed an application for an energy security plan back in April. This makes them the forth company this year seeking to hike electricity rates. This energy security plan does two things. It sets the standard service offer pricing process and adds new riders to cover Duke‘s distribution costs. The problem is that this plan will likely raise your Ohio energy bills by $135 per year. If not you’re not happy with this, then you’ll have an opportunity to tell them.

Public Hearings Take Place Soon

Since this is such a large increase, PUCO is holding public hearings in the Duke service area. The first is September 4 at 6 pm, at the MidPointe Library in Middletown, OH. The second is located at Cincinnati City Hall at 6 pm on September 10i. Five PUCO commissioners will be there to listen to your views on this increase. You can also file a public comment, or send a letter directly to the PUCO board:

Public Utilities Commission of Ohio 180 E. Broad St., 11th Floor Columbus, OH 43215

Is a Rate Hike a Burden On Customers?

According to the Ohio Consumer’s Counsel, Duke Energy‘s ESP plan raises the distribution rates for all residential customers. While bills rise a mere 1.7% the first year, they increase by another 6.19% to 7.87% in three years. For a typical residential consumer, they would have to pay an additional $11.27 per month.

All these hikes come about through the addition of new distribution fees and other riders. For example, the new Infrastructure Modernization Rider. This lets Duke Energy collect costs for two electric vehicle programs from all of its customers. And there’s no exception if they own an EV or not. Also, Duke Energy includes charges for energy efficiency programs. Even though we like them, some Ohio consumers do not want to pay for them. So, Ohio no longer has a law the requires such programs nor their funding.

Find A Cheaper Electricity Rate

It’s important for Duke Energy consumers to speak their minds at forums like the ones PUCO is holding. After all, Cincinnati area energy customers already saw a $23 million rate increase start in 2024. Plus, PUCO will consider public comments during in their approval hearings.

No one who watches the the energy industry disagrees that Ohio’s local grids need upgrading and expanding. However, as the OCC points out in its Duke Energy factsheet, Ohio utility ESP’s “have become a common tool for Ohio’s electric companies to collect more money from consumers outside of a standard distribution rate case.”

Another Rate Hike Coming?

With more people needing Ohio electricity, the quick answer is “probably”. That means everyday consumers need to find ways to cut their monthly electric bills. So, it’s important to shop low rates now and lower your monthly bills. The best way to do that is to lock in a low rate that beats Duke Energy’s price to compare. Also be sure to watch for ways to cut high electricity bills. You can find more information on saving on your electricity and other rate increases at www.ohenergyratings.com 

[georgiagassavings]

Are AGL Base Charges Fair?

New Post has been published on https://www.georgiagassavings.com/blog/are-agl-base-charges-fair/

Are AGL Base Charges Fair?

What’s Behind AGL Base Charges

It’s no surprise that many natural gas customers in Georgia feel confused and frustrated by the AGL base charges. So were we. Find out how they compare to other gas utilities in other states and if you save more.

Although you might use little gas throughout summer, you still owe money on every natural gas bill. Why? The answer is those base charges. These charges cover the utility’s cost for managing the grid and other expenses. Customers who use no gas still pay for distribution. So, let’s take a look at how Atlanta Gas Light (AGL) base charges compare to gas utilities in other states and see whether you’re getting a fair rate.  

AGL Base Charges

Based charges consist of two main components: firstly, a flat customer charge and secondly, a charge based on natural gas use. The AGL monthly customer charge is $23.74.

For the second part of the distribution charge on your AGL natural gas bill, Georgia calculates a Dedicated Design Day Capacity (DDDC) factor. This number is based on the amount of natural gas you used on the coldest day of the previous year. Subsequently, AGL determines your DDDC charge for the full year and breaks it into monthly payments on a weighted schedule: higher payments in cold months and lower in warm months. The DDDC factor is also used to determine several other charges that are part of the total distribution charge. AGL provides a spreadsheet of all components of their base charge, including several fixed costs.

The average total distribution charge is $38.39 per month.

That’s about 27% of your total natural gas costs.

Comparing Ohio Base Distribution Charges

Ohio, unlike Georgia, produces much of its own natural gas. So, let’s find out if that changes base charges.

According to Columbia Gas of Ohio, the monthly customer charge is $16.75. Additionally, they multiply the customer’s monthly usage by a flat rate, currently $0.124545 per therm. Because the average Ohio resident uses about 100 therms per month, it brings the distribution charge to $29.20 per month. That’s about 22% of residential natural gas costs in Ohio. However, because their distribution charge is directly based on monthly usage, it is significantly higher in colder months than in warmer months.

Comparing Charges in Illinois

Similarly to Georgia, Illinois imports most of its natural gas. So, let’s see how their charges stack up.

Nicor Gas in northern Illinois has a monthly customer charge of $23.30 according to Citizens Utility Board. Additionally, they multiply monthly usage by a flat rate, currently $0.1067 per therm. For the average customer using 87 therms per month, the base distribution charge is $32.58 per month. That’s about 34% of natural gas costs in Illinois. Again, because the base charge is directly tied to monthly gas use, it will be higher in colder months than warmer ones.

How Those AGL Rates Stack Up

Check out the numbers side by side.

 Average Monthly Base ChargePercentage of Monthly Natural Gas CostsGA$34.8827%OH$29.2022%IL$32.5834%

Currently, AGL in Georgia is most expensive. However, in Illinois, Nicor wants a $321M increase. Similarly, in Ohio, the PUCO already agreed to rate increases up to 50% over 5 years. Furthermore, as a percentage of total monthly natural gas costs, GA comes out in the middle.

Overall, in comparison with other gas utilities, the AGL base charges really does appear to be fair. Although, you can’t do anything to change monthly customer charges, you can still cut your base distribution charge. Focus on lowering natural gas use in the coldest months to bring down your DDDC and gas bill for a whole year.

Another way to save money on natural gas is to lock in a cheap natural gas supply rate. The best way to do that is to shop for the cheapest therm. Visit https://www.georgiagassavings.com today to compare the cheapest rates for your Georgia home.

[pacificuoptometry]

AMIGOS take on Cambodia

One of the most active organizations at Pacific University College of Optometry is AMIGOS, our SVOSH chapter. Over the course of the year AMIGOS have the opportunity to participate in several mission trips providing eye care all over the world. PUCO is fortunate to boast one of the most active SVOSH chapters across all optometry schools, and currently offers seven trips for students to participate in throughout the year! AMIGOS members can choose to participate in one of the four spring break trips to Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Peru or a new local trip that will provide eye care to migrant workers in Eastern Oregon. PUCO students can also choose to go serve in Guatemala or Belize over the summer. Motivated students can choose to forgo most of their Winter Break and provide eye care in either Cambodia or Tanzania! The following post is going to describe what it was like to attend the winter break trip to Cambodia!

Cambodia

Team Cambodia consisted of 3 attending doctors, 1 optician and 6 optometry students (4 third year students and two second year students).

Due to unexpected snow—yes, SNOW—in the Portland area most of the team was delayed in arriving in Cambodia. In fact, the 4 fourth year students, attending doctor and optician ending up getting stuck in San Francisco and then again in Beijing (for over 28 hours!) before going on to Thailand and finally arriving in Cambodia.

The two-second year students and remaining doctors were able to complete a day of clinic in their absence in Phnom Penh. The team in Cambodia joined with Sabai Vision for the day of clinic and the team got to see some patients with keratoconus and traumatic injuries.

The next day the entire team was reunited and journeyed to Pursat, Province to provide eye care.

The WHOLE team headed off to Pursat Province

The first night of clinic in Pursat the team worked until it was dark out. The team was able to see almost all of the patients in need. It was a very humbling day as many of the patients waited for over 6 hours for the AMIGOS team to arrive. This timeframe was exacerbated due to the flight delays and the travel time it took to get to the region from Phnom Penh.

Dispensing glasses in Pursat

Translators helping out

The following day the team moved clinic sites to a local high school in Pursat. There the team was able to see some students and young children in need of care, some of whom had very high prescriptions making them essentially blind without glasses. Local high school students helped the AMIGOS with translation throughout the day of clinic. The team was also blessed by having volunteers from Building Bridges with Children nearby to help with translation and to volunteer with them.

Translators

Sunglasses

Getting organized

We also got to practice a lot of the skills we learn at school including acuity testing, direct ophthalmoscopy, retinoscopy and dispensing!

Retinoscopy

Acuity station

Dispensing station

At the end of the day Building Bridges for Children (BBC), a local non-profit organization emphasizing the importance of education in the area thanked the AMIGOS team for providing eye care to the community. BBC is essential in rebuilding Cambodia after the Khmer Rouge in the 1970’s wiped out a large portion of the population particularly the educated individuals of Cambodia. As a result of the Khmer Rouge regime there is a stigma against education in the nation and against objects associated with being a scholar, such as glasses. The team was very thankful to have been a part of the clinic days in Pursat and to be part of a movement to change this thought process. The AMIGOS team gave out over 250+ sunglasses to children and countless others to adults to protect their eyes from the strong sun in the region. Additionally, the team was able to see roughly 350 patients and provide glasses and eye drops to them to aid in conditions like dry eye and to prevent harm from the UV rays of the sun, which can cause pterygia, cataracts and pingueculae.

BBC and the Governor of Pursat

The fearless trip leaders!

The founder of BBC (on the left) and Governor of Pursat province (on the right) awarding the team plaques for their service and efforts in promoting eye care!

The last day involved setting up and training staff on an autorefractor, an instrument used to read the prescription in glasses, and a slit lamp, the main piece of equipment used to diagnose eye related health conditions and assess the health of the back of the eye. AMIGOS were proud not only to be able to train staff on these pieces of equipment, but to be able to donate the equipment to the cause. Overall, the people of Cambodia and their endearing personalities touched everyone.

Angkor Wat

Tuk Tuk ride

While the team worked hard during their time in Cambodia, they also had time to explore and see the country. Along the way they were able to take many “tuk tuks” what the locals call their taxi service. They were able to go to several markets in both Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, and visit many of the temples found in the country, including the famed Angkor Wat! And of course all the students made time to reflect on the ruthless past of Cambodia by visiting the genocide museum and/or the killing fields; reminders of a past that still scars many of the people there today. Cambodia touched all of the lives of everyone on the team and AMIGOS hopes that the work there will continue into the future!

Written by Ashley Wing, second-year student at Pacific University College of Optometry.  wing0559@pacificu.edu

[ohioelectricityrates]

Ohio Electricity Plan Lessons From Customer Mistakes Part 2

New Post has been published on https://www.ohenergyratings.com/blog/2019/03/27/ohio-electricity-plan-lessons-customer-mistakes-2/

Ohio Electricity Plan Lessons From Customer Mistakes Part 2

What do you mean my electricity rates vary every month? Learn about the yearly energy cycle and how to get the most out of your energy dollar!

Recently, I was reading through some Ohio energy provider reviews and found several classic examples where customers made mistakes with their with their Ohio natural gas or electricity plans that wound up costing them more. In the interest of helping our other energy customers I’m sharing a few edited examples as common mistakes to show how other customers can avoid problems with their energy suppliers.

Variable Rate Plans Have Rates That…Vary?

“I signed up for a promotional rate with an offer of free airline points. The good rate held steady for several months, then it went from less than 5 cents per kWh, to 5 1/2 cents, to 9 cents and then up to 12 cents!  I never got any notification about the increases. Are they within their rights?”

The short answer— yes. Variable rate plans seldom require any notification of change in the rate on the bill. That’s because the plan summary notifies customers that the rate can change each month. Variable rate plans have prices that can go down or up or stay roughly the same.

In a related example, another customer knowingly signs up for a variable rate plan. However, they their trust into what the sales rep tells them about future rates:

“I switched to XZ Company because they had a low variable rate and no cancellation fee. When I signed up I asked if the rate would stay around the current level and was told that it would. They also said that the rate I got was not a teaser rate. However, I only got the low rate for one month. The second month the rate was increased by 70% and the third month was almost double the first month.”

Of course, a sales person could conceivably say almost anything about future rates —but they don’t know for sure. After all, they’re not energy analysts, they’re in sales and that’s what they’re interested in.

As you can see, the frustration and anger of these customers is understandable, especially since they don’t see that they did anything wrong. Variable rate plans in Ohio are really attractive to some customers. They’re usually month-to-month, no contract, no cancellation fee plans. Ohio electric providers often offer these with low introductory rates that are well below the wholesale price. Consequently, their cheap, no commitment nature usually distracts customers from giving them a closer look. And that kind of distraction can wind up costing them more.

Both these customers seem to have discounted or ignored the main feature of variable rate plans. Variable rate plans will VARY from month to month depending on supply, demand, and weather. Usually, those low introductory price only last for the first month. Afterwards, the price goes up to the going market rate —which can be a LOT. The amount that energy rates change depends on the market price of electricity or natural gas in your state’s wholesale market. Consequently, sudden demand and price fluctuations during winter and summer can get pretty painful.

The Annual Energy Price Cycle

The way to save money on your Ohio energy rates is to remember that energy prices follow a predictable yearly cycle and generally stay within a normal-ish range. You can even check out PUCO’s records of historic electric rates in your city to see when during the year that they spiked. Electricity and natural gas prices tend to dip in the fall and early spring due to lower demand.

In fact, these “shoulder months” in fall and spring are the best times to shop for a cheap fixed rate energy plan.

For that matter, don’t put off shopping until summer.  Once May arrives in the southern states, summer heat begins increasing demand for air conditioning —BANG—electricity wholesale prices begin lifting your local Ohio electricity rates to the moon. In July and August, heat waves could spike the price to $.90 kWh. Remember that natural gas prices also rise because more power generators are burning natural. Because cooling demand drives energy prices higher, late summer is not the best time to shop for new energy plans. That’s why shoppers should wait until the fall to lock in a longer term rate.

Read the Plan Summary

In our example, our first customer who complained about increases without notification seems to have signed on to the deal without fully understanding the plan’s plan summary. Plan summaries state  the plan name, the price per kWh (or therms for natural gas), whether it has a fixed or variable rate, whether the rate is an introductory rate or not, the term or duration, and delivery charges. The terms of the plan summary IS part of the legal agreement between customer and company. Consequently, customers should always read and understand the terms of the plan summary before agreeing to the plan.

If you agree to any plan, remember that you’re not trapped. Under the Right of Rescission in Ohio, you can cancel the contract within seven calendar days following the postmark date on the electric utility’s confirmation notice after you receive it in the mail.

How Variable Plans Can Work for You

Now, variable rate plans are not inherently evil. Variable rate energy plans work best when customers know how and when to use them. They can be just the thing for customers who are who want a little extra time to compare electricity plans apples to apples to find the lowest fixed rate. Customers sign up for an introductory plan to power their home for a few weeks while they shop around and then switch when the end of the month comes.

Variable rates can also be cost-effective over the short term during the “shoulder months” in spring time and autumn. No-contract plans are great when you’re trying to capture a great fixed rate deal while prices fall. However, you’ve got to pay attention to competing rates. That way you can switch to that fixed rate plan at just the right time. Otherwise, you could face paying a higher Ohio electricity rate. So stay vigilant!

One of life’s best ways to learn is to make mistakes. By learning from these examples, I’m hoping that energy customers will be better able to understand what they can expect and need to do in order to avoid having problems with their energy suppliers.