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[Richard230]

According a news report yesterday, the California Public Utility Commission is moving forward with a plan that would charge the state's electric utility rate payers a flat fee (tax?) based upon their income, in addition to the cost of the electric power that they use each month. The report said that the idea is not going over very well with many of the state's residents as the word starts getting around. No doubt more detailed news will follow soon.

A former PUC president who was being interviewed yesterday on the local radio news station, KCBS, and was trying to explain the plan, mentioned that Governor Newsom backed the idea. She also said that a bill supporting this rate plan was passed by the state's legislators at the last minute and signed into law late last year without any sort of public hearing or public input. But it still needs to be approved by the state's PUC, which they could do this summer.

If this rate plan, which was originally proposed by PG&E, is approved by the PUC, I wouldn't be surprised to hear that even utility customers who do not use any electricity would also be billed for this flat income "fee" each month.

[Specter]

commies love to grab other peoples money to spend on their stupid projects.  You live in commie central.
If you can, move, RUN, don't walk from that hell hole. 

Typically it's very hard to get rate increases, because of the way the Federal laws are worded, and as you seen, it is SUPPOSED to be voted on, hold hearings and all the works.  So instead utilities LOVE to add 'Fees' 'Tarriffs'  'Allocations' 'Adjustments' and whatever fancy word they can call a Rate Hike, without actually calling it a Rate Hike.   These, they generally can just slither in, in the middle of the night without much notice until it hits.

If they wanted to be 'fair' about it, they'd base it by consumption, not by income, the two would kind of overlap anyways.  But unlike the fake virtue signaling, it's not about 'fair' its just a money grab.

This is another example of why Solar done smartly, with batteries, would be a fantastic investment.  Just for the peace of mind.

In your case, this could almost be considered Taxation without Representation, since you had zero say so, input, or knowledge it was coming. 
Elections could potentially fix this for ya'all but hey, you got your weed and wifi, surf's up dude, nothing to worry about right?

Good luck, you are going to need it.

PS, on a serious note,  even if you don't / cant do the whole house, just a few panels could really help out.  The ROI on them is only a few years now.  You can get panels for 30 cents a watt, throw a micro inverter on it, and literally you can throw the thing on the lawn, and plug it into the wall and you got power.  (as long as the grid is up) for a simple bit of help.

Aaron

[Richard230]

Solar doesn't really pencil out for me. I am surrounded by hills that block the sun most of the time during the winter months and much of my utility bill is for gas usage (stove, furnace, water heater, clothes dryer). Plus, the cost of solar and backup batteries installation in California is very high and any incentives have pretty much gone away. My daughter recently had 12 panels and a 10 KWH battery installed on her home and she paid $46K for that work. I would never live long enough to recover that kind of cost.

[Specter]

That's too bad richard.
Whats also too bad is that these companies are raping on the install rates.  They know 'solar' is a buzz word and slam people for stupid obnoxious insane prices.  It's pretty predatory sadly.  Now throw in a 'Union' shop and it's even worse.

They will send a slimy salesman to your house with a high pressure, you have to sign TODAY or you'll miss the deal!!! BS.

Had one guy at work, look into it and the solar guy ..bla bla bla   47k  oh but it's financable with OUR bank !!!  you get a rebate !!!!! bla bla vomit.
I told him, do NOT buy a thing, do NOT sign a thing, they will try to slime you,oh let us run a quick credit check,  NO !!!  Smile and send him on his way.  Think on it, and wait, in a few weeks that snake will call back and the price will be about half.

Sure enough, in a few weeks, he gets a call, why haven't you bought it yet!!  all the 'cool guys' are, what's YOUR problem.  He handed the phone to me, and I had a word with the clown.  I told the guy, I know who you are, and what your scam is, you got ONE chance, make your pitch, if it's crap we are gone, because there are 2 other companies we are looking at as well.  He made his pitch, we laughed and hung up, saying we are going with the other company.  The next day he was there at the house, waiting for keevy to come home from work, at the end of the day he got essentially  the same install for 24k.

K wanted to go even bigger with his system I talked him into going with a minimalist system and after it's installed by the 'pro'  ie it's certified and the power company has written off on it saying ok go for it, we will come back and upgrade it ourselves, using our equipment at OUR prices.

What the 'pro' wanted for 3 batteries, we were able to put in 4 batteries, exact same size for 1000 dollars less.  Also, they want you to sign some ridiculous contract with them, that is a HORRIBLE scam for years and years.  Basically they buy and sell the 'credits' for your power and keep all the money themselves.

Design your OWN, don't go for the 'package deal' and you can save a ton.

This got a little long winded but with a little effort you CAN have a reliable backup for pennies on the dollar for what they want to charge you to do with it.  Another way is to have the pro's install all the rails you need, then add panels down the line as you can afford them.  A new panel can literally be bolted in place and on the line in maybe 15 minutes.

Bolt micro inverter to back of panel
Plug panel into micro inverter
Bring Panel up to roof
Bolt Panel to roof rails, tighten down
Take water proof plug out of Y plug from panel up there already.
Plug new panel into old panel Y plug.
Put water proof plug into other side of Y plug on new panel.
turn power back on at mains,  viola you have another panel online.

Shit too bad you don't live near by, Id help you put stuff up.

Aaron

[Richard230]

At the local Costco, day in and day out for months, there are a couple of salespeople buttoning-holing passers by in an attempt to sign them up for solar. They represent a major U.S. solar company, but I can't recall which one, because when I pass by I do so quickly and try not to look in their direction.

[giacomo]

That's too bad richard.
Whats also too bad is that these companies are raping on the install rates.  They know 'solar' is a buzz word and slam people for stupid obnoxious insane prices.  It's pretty predatory sadly.  Now throw in a 'Union' shop and it's even worse.

They will send a slimy salesman to your house with a high pressure, you have to sign TODAY or you'll miss the deal!!! BS.

Had one guy at work, look into it and the solar guy ..bla bla bla   47k  oh but it's financable with OUR bank !!!  you get a rebate !!!!! bla bla vomit.
I told him, do NOT buy a thing, do NOT sign a thing, they will try to slime you,oh let us run a quick credit check,  NO !!!  Smile and send him on his way.  Think on it, and wait, in a few weeks that snake will call back and the price will be about half.

Sure enough, in a few weeks, he gets a call, why haven't you bought it yet!!  all the 'cool guys' are, what's YOUR problem.  He handed the phone to me, and I had a word with the clown.  I told the guy, I know who you are, and what your scam is, you got ONE chance, make your pitch, if it's crap we are gone, because there are 2 other companies we are looking at as well.  He made his pitch, we laughed and hung up, saying we are going with the other company.  The next day he was there at the house, waiting for keevy to come home from work, at the end of the day he got essentially  the same install for 24k.

K wanted to go even bigger with his system I talked him into going with a minimalist system and after it's installed by the 'pro'  ie it's certified and the power company has written off on it saying ok go for it, we will come back and upgrade it ourselves, using our equipment at OUR prices.

What the 'pro' wanted for 3 batteries, we were able to put in 4 batteries, exact same size for 1000 dollars less.  Also, they want you to sign some ridiculous contract with them, that is a HORRIBLE scam for years and years.  Basically they buy and sell the 'credits' for your power and keep all the money themselves.

Design your OWN, don't go for the 'package deal' and you can save a ton.

This got a little long winded but with a little effort you CAN have a reliable backup for pennies on the dollar for what they want to charge you to do with it.  Another way is to have the pro's install all the rails you need, then add panels down the line as you can afford them.  A new panel can literally be bolted in place and on the line in maybe 15 minutes.

Bolt micro inverter to back of panel
Plug panel into micro inverter
Bring Panel up to roof
Bolt Panel to roof rails, tighten down
Take water proof plug out of Y plug from panel up there already.
Plug new panel into old panel Y plug.
Put water proof plug into other side of Y plug on new panel.
turn power back on at mains,  viola you have another panel online.

Shit too bad you don't live near by, Id help you put stuff up.

Aaron

What Do you think about Tesla Solar Panels? I had them installed (4.3KW panels, 3.8KW inverter) in California for ~$8K, plus you get 30% back from federal. From my research they were a very good bang for the buck deal and the price you see is the price you pay!

I am not advertising them but from my personal experience it was very easy and not a stressful experience! It was also the cheapest option I found in 2021!

Giacomo

[Specter]

If you got a good deal on them then yes, they were a good investment.  Tesla had some issues early on with his house stuff.  Remember the power wall that took forever to finally hit the market, and it's specs quietly kept degrading over time until they re what they are today.

People are always concerned about ROI as just dollars.  I paid XX dollars, how many days to get that back?
They don't take into account the peace of mind as well.
what's it worth to have power when the power is out?  To NOT have to worry if your generator will start, because you forgot to change the gas in it last season now the carburetor is funked out? 
What's it worth to NOT lose that 600 dollars of meat in your freezer because the hurricane, forest fire, etc took out the grid for 12 days straight? 
what's it worth to have coffee in the morning, cold milk, fresh food, something to pump water from your well?? etc etc.
Then of course there are the nerd bragging rights    what's it worth to have electricity when everyone else does not.  to have electricity a week down the road, when everyone elses portable air cooled generators shit themselves after day 3 or 4 of heavy use, or are out of gas now?

If you had that installed for 8k in California, then you did really well.  Ive seen prices as high as 4 dollars a watt or more to install stuff and that's without batteries!  The batteries are the real magic though, they really keep your system smooth and running clean.  Any hiccups and you go on without a hitch, many times you don't even see it, and if you do disconnect from the grid, your panels don't quit, they just throw it into the battery or your load, so it's absolutely a win win.  See that's where it don't make sense to get panels only.  Ok so you got 15k of panels, but the moment anything burps the slightest, they are useless.  Grid down, they are useless.  Why bother, what good are they at that point, when for a little more you could have had resilience and a backup.

Aaron

[DonTom]

According a news report yesterday, the California Public Utility Commission is moving forward with a plan that would charge the state's electric utility rate payers a flat fee (tax?) based upon their income, in addition to the cost of the electric power that they use each month

I wonder how many more years it will take us to go full commie.


BTW, I wonder how they will get our income info.



-Don-  Reno, NV

[Richard230]

According a news report yesterday, the California Public Utility Commission is moving forward with a plan that would charge the state's electric utility rate payers a flat fee (tax?) based upon their income, in addition to the cost of the electric power that they use each month

I wonder how many more years it will take us to go full commie.


BTW, I wonder how they will get our income info.



-Don-  Reno, NV

The article that I read last year when PG&E first proposed this income-based rate plan to the state legislature said that they will get our income information from the State Franchise Tax Board which retains our state income tax return records.

[SwampNut]

BTW, I wonder how they will get our income info.

Your employer doesn't file a tax statement for what they pay you?

I have two friends in CA who really make nothing on paper.  Cash businesses, not reported.  They qualify for poverty rates on everything.

[Specter]

They'll probably grab the info from the State, you pay state taxes in commiefornia.  Don't you guys also do something income based on your vehicle registration as well?  DMV for that.  They have plenty places they will take it from.  OR the easy way, they just charge you the max tier there is and YOU provide it to them to prove you qualify for the lower tier.  I can see them doing that too.

Elections have consequences.

Aaron

[Fran K]

According a news report yesterday, the California Public Utility Commission is moving forward with a plan that would charge the state's electric utility rate payers a flat fee (tax?) based upon their income, in addition to the cost of the electric power that they use each month

I wonder how many more years it will take us to go full commie.


BTW, I wonder how they will get our income info.



-Don-  Reno, NV

How about you get the high rate, and it sounds like only the privelage of having a meter to read is in this califirnia initiative, otherwise prove your income level.  In Ct there is a line on the bill that essentially is for paying it to some low income perons fund.

[SwampNut]

Elections have consequences.

Voting is useless.  If it could accomplish something, they wouldn't let us do it.