Merle ([info]merle_) wrote,
@ 2008-05-11 13:00:00
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Current mood:(scheming (too much))
Current music:Noir OST 2, "Power Hungry"

free money from the electric company
PG&E sent me a letter offering me $25 if I let them install a free SmartAC switch. It's a system whereby PG&E, the energy company, can broadcast signals during peak energy usage times to throttle back on air conditioners. Supposedly this will prevent blackouts (aside from those caused by heat exhaustion, of course). It's tempting. I can see it now:

Me: Hi, I'd like $25 and a free switch!
PG&E: No problem, we'll send someone over. Be at home during the daytime for the next three months.
Me: Okay, thanks!
*four months pass by*
PG&E: Hi, we're here to install your free Big Brother switch.
Me: *grumbles "about time" under breath* Excellent!
PG&E: Would you point us towards your thermostat?
Me: Oh, I don't have one.
PG&E: What?
Me: I just use fans and windows.
PG&E: No air conditioner?
Me: I like to think of it as an inexpensive air conditioner.
Me: The switch will make an interesting wall hanging anyway. So where's my $25?
PG&E: ...


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[info]eryn_
2008-05-11 09:05 pm UTC (link)
Seems like maybe, as a basic service provider, they should be able to provide full service to all their customers. You can't tell me electrical appliances aren't more efficient than they were 25 years ago. So it seems like the per capita usage is actually down. Were they not paying any attention to the increase in population?

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[info]merle_
2008-05-11 09:13 pm UTC (link)
Electrical appliances may be more efficient, but consider that the average household used to not have a computer 25 years ago, let alone several. Even microwave ovens were pretty scarce.

It is irritating that customers who use more power get more rebates and incentives. Sure, you want them to conserve, but if a $600/mo electrics bill doesn't convince them, large rebates certainly aren't going to. ($25 isn't huge, but they had a 10% rebate a few years ago.. with a "rebate processing fee" of $5, which more than wiped out my rebate)

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[info]cellio
2008-05-12 12:50 pm UTC (link)
Heh. When I started reading this, I was surprised that you'd let Big Brother in so cheaply. :-)

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[info]merle_
2008-05-13 12:11 am UTC (link)
Hey, these days $25 might buy me two tacos -- next year, who knows? But no, the whole thing is silly. It could have been worse (for those with A/C): they were talking about enforcing installation of the devices a while back, rather than making them optional.

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[info]lexica510
2008-05-12 04:46 pm UTC (link)
I'm going to send ours back, in the convenient business-reply envelope, with "must be single-family detached dwelling" and "Apt. 306" circled in red sharpie, with a note saying Why are you sending this to me? Why are you sending this to anybody in my building? It should be obvious that somebody living in Apartment 306 does not live in a single-family detached dwelling!

Arrrgh.

And then there's the annual late-fall notice that they'll give you an extra discount if you cut the power you use for heating compared to last year. Considering that we haven't turned the heat on in the winter for the past four years — how are we supposed to use less energy than we do by not heating the apartment at all?

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[info]eryn_
2008-05-12 05:48 pm UTC (link)
That's the idea of the discounts. They only help the people who were selfish overconsumers to start with. There are no externally tangible rewards for having been doing the right thing.

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[info]merle_
2008-05-13 12:17 am UTC (link)
You make me want to name a street "Broadway Apartment 306"...

Those "extra discounts" really tick me off. If they want to give money away, perhaps giving to people who have averaged under $X/mon for the entire year. The people who spend $700/mon and spend just a bit less to get a huge check have already failed based on their consumption.

*glances at other comments* Erm, what [info]eryn_ said.

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