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Because if you, as a consumer who can't pay wholesale, take a watt and then put back a watt, are still out some rent money.

• JoshTriplett 11y ago
  > Because if you, as a consumer who can't pay wholesale, take a watt and then put back a watt, are still out some rent money. And in that same case, the power company is out some infrastructure and maintenance costs. But either way, you state that as though power grids have some fundamental property that necessitates the same rates for purchase and sale, a property that most other exchanges do not have.
  • svachalek 11y ago
    > And in that same case, the power company is out some infrastructure and maintenance costs. As I understand my bill, PG&E still bills you for that as a separate item. > But either way, you state that as though power grids have some fundamental property that necessitates the same rates for purchase and sale, a property that most other exchanges do not have. That property would be "legal monopoly".
    • JoshTriplett 11y ago
      That property makes them subject to regulation; it doesn't inherently mean they should pay the same price to buy power as to sell. Even markets with a legal monopoly have a bid-ask spread.