How is this even possible?

[Hawkmoon]

https://ktla.com/news/local-news/california-power-companies-roll-out-fixed-rate-bill-proposal/

California electric suppliers to shift to fixed rate billing system.

Southern California Edison, Pacific Gas & Electric, and San Diego Gas & Electric submitted a joint proposal to the state’s Public Utilities Commission last week that outlines the new rate structure. It follows last year’s passage of Assembly Bill 205 which requires a fixed rate and generally simpler bills.

How is that a fixed rate? A fixed rate is ## cents per kilowatt hour of consumption. This proposal isn't a fixed rate, it's a fixed bill.

Not only that -- this is supposed to lower the bills for everyone. But if the current rate structure is fair, how can the overall income for the utility companies be reduced significantly without adversely affecting service? Did California recently see some major wildfires that resulted from the power companies not maintaining the cross-country, high-tension transmission network? If they didn't have the money to keep those rights-of-way cleared under the old billing system, how are they going to have enough money to do better maintenance if their incomes are reduced?

[WLJ]

Someone will soon be demanding the fixed rate for blacks be $0. You can bet money on it.

[Pb]

So, you pay the same amount no matter how much electricity you use?  Am understanding this correctly, because that's insane, if true.

That will encourage people to use as much electricity as they can.  Let's keep the AC at 68 degrees all summer long!

[bedlamite]

So, you pay the same amount no matter how much electricity you use?  Am understanding this correctly, because that's insane, if true.

That will encourage people to use as much electricity as they can.  Let's keep the AC at 68 degrees all summer long!

Your smart thermostat just reported you to Greta.

[HeroHog]

Probably works like our prorated systems here. They adjust it every 6 months to a year as needed based on use. Works great when you use little electricity in winter VS. a ton in summer!

[K Frame]

So, you pay the same amount no matter how much electricity you use?  Am understanding this correctly, because that's insane, if true.

That will encourage people to use as much electricity as they can.  Let's keep the AC at 68 degrees all summer long!

Tha't my take on it, as well. There will be absolutely NO incentives to conserve.

I suspect that random brownouts and blackouts are going to become a lot less random and a lot more frequent.

[HankB]

Tha't my take on it, as well. There will be absolutely NO incentives to conserve.

I suspect that random brownouts and blackouts are going to become a lot less random and a lot more frequent.

Have to build more solar farms and windmills. Hmmm . . . wonder how much stock in solar cell and windmill companies were recently purchased by advocates of this insanity?

[WLJ]

Have to build more solar farms and windmills. Hmmm . . . wonder how much stock in solar cell and windmill companies were recently purchased by advocates of this insanity?

And owned by the Chinese

[Nick1911]

A quick Google suggests that the per kwhr cost will remain, this is a means tested charge for the fixed cost of providing electricity each month.

Where I live, I pay about $15 per month for that.

[Pb]

A quick Google suggests that the per kwhr cost will remain, this is a means tested charge for the fixed cost of providing electricity each month.

OK, that is not quite as crazy.

I did read that they were also gutting the amount of money they were crediting folks with rooftop solar panels (that feed power back into the grid) by 75%!  So those that spent thousands of dollars installing solar panels are screwed.

[WLJ]

That makes far more sense