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I haven't heard anyone among friends or family complain or say much of anything about electricity bills in quite some time, which makes me suspect the 'Sky-High

I haven't heard anyone among friends or family complain or say much of anything about electricity bills in quite some time, which makes me suspect the 'Sky-High" description.

annoyingnoob 5y ago
Without looking into any details, my electric bill is 30% higher now than 2 years ago.
- mikeryan 5y ago
  Considering most folks have been working from home the past year Id think most bills would be at least 30% higher for the last 14 months or so.
  - KptMarchewa 5y ago
    Why? The things you'd use for work, like monitors and computers aren't using a lot of energy - comparatively to fridges, electric ovens and washing machines.
    - xur17 5y ago
      But you also aren't putting your airconditioner / heater into "away" mode since you are home all day.
  - annoyingnoob 5y ago
    I've been working the entire time and my kids go to private school that is open.
- annoyingnoob 5y ago
  I looked at my bills. What changed is the city/clean power alliance (CPA) now provides my power, they claim to provide 100% clean power to my home. I now pay a generation charge and some other fees to the CPA. There are options to have 40%, 50%, or 100% clean power with 100% being the default. According to the CPA calculator, the difference in cost between 40% and 100% clean power is less than 10% of the bill - either way you still pay more now. Not complaining about having clean power.
joe-collins 5y ago
Same. I know mine has never been particularly notable, except the one month immediately after moving into this apartment where we experimented with running the AC literally 24/7 (not recommended).
jeffbee 5y ago
PG&E electricity bills average about 50% more than national average. On the other hand California houses also cost 50% more than houses in other states, so it's possible you don't notice it as a fraction of adjusted income. That's sort of the article's point, that the burden of these high prices falls more noticeably on the poorer people of the state.
- joe-collins 5y ago
  I live in an apartment in a San Diego suburb, well outside of the trendy spaces. Our electricity bill is typically in the $80-100 range. That would suggest a delta from other states of perhaps $50, if I allow for some generous fuzz factors. Right now, our incomes are from Walmart and Domino's Pizza, and even in those circumstances, $50 is nearly a trivial cost. I won't try to speak for McMansion dwellers and their bills.
  - maxerickson 5y ago
    For a medium sized house in Michigan (with no AC), my largest bills run ~$45 (that's the blower and pumps for the furnace, with a humidifier running quite a bit).
kingsuper20 5y ago
Part of the reason might be the low usage of electricity in California, especially as a percentage of income. I think it's number 48 or so of the states. Perhaps low (by comparison) use of A/C? still high use of natgas heating? Between electric cars and the ongoing push to make natural gas verboten, perhaps this will change.
jandrewrogers 5y ago
Probably because it is inconsequential even if expensive, especially for the upper middle class. I currently pay about ~$50 per month for electricity in Seattle. Even if you tripled that cost in California, I probably wouldn't notice despite being "expensive". Household goods use significantly less electricity than they used to, which also helps.
lazide 5y ago
It's death by a thousand cuts/frog boiling most likely. If they knew what other states were paying, they might complain. As-is, everyone is paying too much, and it's increasing gradually. Compared to Rents in California over the last 10 years though - still increasing slowly I guess?

I haven't heard anyone among friends or family complain or say much of anything about electricity bills in quite some time, which makes me suspect the 'Sky-High" description.

annoyingnoob 5y ago

Without looking into any details, my electric bill is 30% higher now than 2 years ago.

mikeryan 5y ago
Considering most folks have been working from home the past year Id think most bills would be at least 30% higher for the last 14 months or so.
- KptMarchewa 5y ago
  Why? The things you'd use for work, like monitors and computers aren't using a lot of energy - comparatively to fridges, electric ovens and washing machines.
  - xur17 5y ago
    But you also aren't putting your airconditioner / heater into "away" mode since you are home all day.
- annoyingnoob 5y ago
  I've been working the entire time and my kids go to private school that is open.
annoyingnoob 5y ago
I looked at my bills. What changed is the city/clean power alliance (CPA) now provides my power, they claim to provide 100% clean power to my home. I now pay a generation charge and some other fees to the CPA. There are options to have 40%, 50%, or 100% clean power with 100% being the default. According to the CPA calculator, the difference in cost between 40% and 100% clean power is less than 10% of the bill - either way you still pay more now. Not complaining about having clean power.

joe-collins 5y ago

Same. I know mine has never been particularly notable, except the one month immediately after moving into this apartment where we experimented with running the AC literally 24/7 (not recommended).

jeffbee 5y ago

PG&E electricity bills average about 50% more than national average. On the other hand California houses also cost 50% more than houses in other states, so it's possible you don't notice it as a fraction of adjusted income. That's sort of the article's point, that the burden of these high prices falls more noticeably on the poorer people of the state.

joe-collins 5y ago
I live in an apartment in a San Diego suburb, well outside of the trendy spaces. Our electricity bill is typically in the $80-100 range. That would suggest a delta from other states of perhaps $50, if I allow for some generous fuzz factors. Right now, our incomes are from Walmart and Domino's Pizza, and even in those circumstances, $50 is nearly a trivial cost. I won't try to speak for McMansion dwellers and their bills.
- maxerickson 5y ago
  For a medium sized house in Michigan (with no AC), my largest bills run ~$45 (that's the blower and pumps for the furnace, with a humidifier running quite a bit).

kingsuper20 5y ago

Part of the reason might be the low usage of electricity in California, especially as a percentage of income. I think it's number 48 or so of the states. Perhaps low (by comparison) use of A/C? still high use of natgas heating? Between electric cars and the ongoing push to make natural gas verboten, perhaps this will change.

jandrewrogers 5y ago

Probably because it is inconsequential even if expensive, especially for the upper middle class. I currently pay about ~$50 per month for electricity in Seattle. Even if you tripled that cost in California, I probably wouldn't notice despite being "expensive". Household goods use significantly less electricity than they used to, which also helps.

lazide 5y ago

It's death by a thousand cuts/frog boiling most likely. If they knew what other states were paying, they might complain. As-is, everyone is paying too much, and it's increasing gradually. Compared to Rents in California over the last 10 years though - still increasing slowly I guess?