Electricity Bill [Canadian]

[Nero]

http://www.ontario-hydro.com/index.php?page=current_rates
Today I got my bill, and it just went to 350 dollars. Before it used to cost me 220 dollars.
This is a monthly thing as well. Apparently they want to make it so it goes even higher. 18% higher that is.
What is worse is on anything we buy also has a tax on it of 13%.

Funny part is the Canadian Government is the one encouraging this. Either Canada is starting to become idiotic or its just Ontario. Hurr.
When is enough, enough?

[thehoodedsmack]

Install solar panels on your roof. Seriously. Electricity's only going to get more expensive.

[sleepy1212]

it's not just Canada

[Anton]

It's the same where I live. You aren't alone.

[Hotrod]

Yeah, I live in Ontario too so I feel your pain (kind of-ish). Thankfully, I'm living in residence for the next 4 years, so I won't need to worry about that until prices go much higher...

[Kornman00]

My power bill is less than $50 a month. Of course, I make it an effort to make sure I turn off devices when they're not in use (eg, plugging multiple items into a power strip then flipping the switch on the strip). And of course I live in America.

[Cortexian]

Install solar panels on your roof. Seriously. Electricity's only going to get more expensive.
I'm not sure if this is across Canada or not, but if you install solar panels here you don't own the power they generate. Somehow the power company here in Calgary (Alberta) has a legal contract that states that it owns any power generated by solar or wind on a persons private property.

So basically if you install solar panels or a windmill, the power company owns all the power you're generating and you need to buy it back from them. Obviously though, it's much cheaper to buy this power than it is to use the provided city power. Still, it's really lame that I can't just go install some solar panels and cut myself off from having to pay the power company.

[Dwood]

That's a ridiculous contract for a power company to have over solar panels. It's what I call a violation of rights.

[Amit]

I'm not sure if this is across Canada or not, but if you install solar panels here you don't own the power they generate. Somehow the power company here in Calgary (Alberta) has a legal contract that states that it owns any power generated by solar or wind on a persons private property.

So basically if you install solar panels or a windmill, the power company owns all the power you're generating and you need to buy it back from them. Obviously though, it's much cheaper to buy this power than it is to use the provided city power. Still, it's really lame that I can't just go install some solar panels and cut myself off from having to pay the power company.

How do they even know if you control and management your own procurable electricity source?

[Cortexian]

Something to do with the fact that solar and wind power still needs to tie into the main power grid coming into your home, which is owned by the power company. Not to mention that they come by and check meters so they can nail gas and electric at the same time.

[Dwood]

Why not wire it directly into your house?

[Bodzilla]

Power companies buy the power thats made by solar panels in australia. I have no idea how they got such a ridiculous contract where you live, that is insane.

heres one problem with solar, and well it's only really for low power devices, things with heating elements fail hard, which is why most people dont live on just solar alone.

[Cortexian]

That depends on your solar setup. I've you've got enough panels and they all feed into a reserve in your house you can power your entire home. That kind of setup is really expensive though.

[paladin]

I'm not sure if this is across Canada or not, but if you install solar panels here you don't own the power they generate. Somehow the power company here in Calgary (Alberta) has a legal contract that states that it owns any power generated by solar or wind on a persons private property.

So basically if you install solar panels or a windmill, the power company owns all the power you're generating and you need to buy it back from them. Obviously though, it's much cheaper to buy this power than it is to use the provided city power. Still, it's really lame that I can't just go install some solar panels and cut myself off from having to pay the power company.

You get power "credits" here. I my dad had solar panels installed last summer and pays about $200 a year.

[Amit]

Something to do with the fact that solar and wind power still needs to tie into the main power grid coming into your home, which is owned by the power company. Not to mention that they come by and check meters so they can nail gas and electric at the same time.

Can't you just accumulate the power into a large battery or something and you it when you need it? Mainly it would run small appliances. They would charge you for that?


You get power "credits" here. I my dad had solar panels installed last summer and pays about $200 a year.

Do you mean that because he installed a certain number of panels that his entire bill for the year was $200? If so, that's awesome.

[paladin]

My dads energy bill is about $15 a month. He does have some $15k worth of solar panels though....

[Cortexian]

Yea they take about 8-10 years to pay themselves off. Only an investment if you've got your own house that you'll be living in for at least 20 years.