Comments on: Long Bet: The Cost of Energy http://blog.longnow.org/2007/09/14/long-bet-the-cost-of-energy/ The Official Weblog of The Long Now Foundation and Friends Mon, 08 Sep 2008 11:28:10 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.3 By: Jim Harding http://blog.longnow.org/2007/09/14/long-bet-the-cost-of-energy/#comment-2626 Jim Harding Thu, 20 Sep 2007 17:45:33 +0000 http://blog.longnow.org/2007/09/14/long-bet-the-cost-of-energy/#comment-2626 Interesting discussion. I'll offer a few observations. Regulation and deregulation make this analysis difficult. When many states "deregulated," they also imposed temporary caps on the retail price of electricity. In most cases, utility were allowed to accumulate (but not immediately recover) balances for costs exceeding that price. You have a number of states (Illinois, Maryland, Pennsylvania, etc) facing very large rate increases from costs incurred during 2003-2005 but not recoverable during that time. EIA has measured price, but not cost, so I'm afraid the jury is still out. JH Interesting discussion. I’ll offer a few observations.

Regulation and deregulation make this analysis difficult. When many states “deregulated,” they also imposed temporary caps on the retail price of electricity. In most cases, utility were allowed to accumulate (but not immediately recover) balances for costs exceeding that price. You have a number of states (Illinois, Maryland, Pennsylvania, etc) facing very large rate increases from costs incurred during 2003-2005 but not recoverable during that time. EIA has measured price, but not cost, so I’m afraid the jury is still out.

JH

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