4 ms·

It seems like what is getting lost here is that the reason PG&E only charges for usage and not a fixed connection fee is that that's what the state wanted. The

It seems like what is getting lost here is that the reason PG&E only charges for usage and not a fixed connection fee is that that's what the state wanted. They wanted heavy users to pay a disproportionate share of costs to encourage lower usage. In fact, they even put in a "climate credit", which is a fixed rebate users get that effectively makes the connection fee be negative.

tguvot 5y ago
there is a minimal usage fee, which is essentially connection fee
m463 5y ago
Punative pricing in california is really a disservice to customers/consumers. In just about every other business, if you use a lot of something, you get a discount. For california electricity, it's the opposite.
- ketzo 5y ago
  It's a matter of tradeoffs. California electric companies – and PG&E in particular – desperately need to decrease load during fire season so that they have more flexibility in the grid. It's important for them to try and disincentivize power usage pretty much however they can. Plus, using less power is better for the environment.
  - zbrozek 5y ago
    Is using less power really better? People are going to use energy and this is driving loads to other sources of energy, typically gas. Most (but not all) people I know are avoiding electrification on economic grounds.
- cool_dude85 5y ago
  It's a disservice to the high-usage customers, who want to offload their environmental costs onto their grandkids and/or countries less equipped to deal with climate change. Soak 'em, I say.
- rrrrrrrrrrrryan 5y ago
  It's capacity pricing. If you want to buy same-day tickets for your whole family to board a full flight, the airline will sell the tickets to you, but it might be at a 5x or 10x mark up. The airline is betting that they'll be able to talk people into forfeiting their seats by giving them airline credits, and tickets on a later (less crowded) flight, then pocket the difference. Expecting the airline to give you and your giant family a discount in the situation is obviously absurd. When you're at capacity, it's in your best interest to encourage people to shift their consumption to off-peak times, and to punitively charge the people that insist on consuming a disproportionate amount during full capacity.
- axlee 5y ago
  Why would anybody get a discount to pollute more?

tguvot 5y ago

there is a minimal usage fee, which is essentially connection fee

m463 5y ago

Punative pricing in california is really a disservice to customers/consumers. In just about every other business, if you use a lot of something, you get a discount. For california electricity, it's the opposite.

ketzo 5y ago
It's a matter of tradeoffs. California electric companies – and PG&E in particular – desperately need to decrease load during fire season so that they have more flexibility in the grid. It's important for them to try and disincentivize power usage pretty much however they can. Plus, using less power is better for the environment.
- zbrozek 5y ago
  Is using less power really better? People are going to use energy and this is driving loads to other sources of energy, typically gas. Most (but not all) people I know are avoiding electrification on economic grounds.
cool_dude85 5y ago
It's a disservice to the high-usage customers, who want to offload their environmental costs onto their grandkids and/or countries less equipped to deal with climate change. Soak 'em, I say.
rrrrrrrrrrrryan 5y ago
It's capacity pricing. If you want to buy same-day tickets for your whole family to board a full flight, the airline will sell the tickets to you, but it might be at a 5x or 10x mark up. The airline is betting that they'll be able to talk people into forfeiting their seats by giving them airline credits, and tickets on a later (less crowded) flight, then pocket the difference. Expecting the airline to give you and your giant family a discount in the situation is obviously absurd. When you're at capacity, it's in your best interest to encourage people to shift their consumption to off-peak times, and to punitively charge the people that insist on consuming a disproportionate amount during full capacity.
axlee 5y ago
Why would anybody get a discount to pollute more?