It's not $5/ft, see my other post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8706592 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8706592 Further, even if it was $5/ft that

It's not $5/ft, see my other post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8706592 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8706592 Further, even if it was $5/ft that eventually starts to look good compared to a $20/mo charge to have the privilege of being connected to the power grid. This is a concept that utility companies are actively discussing and implementing: https://www.google.com/search?q=power+grid+monthly+connection+fee https://www.google.com/search?q=power+grid+monthly+connectio... If it costs $400 to hook up to a neighbor and it smooths supply/demand enough to where you could forgo the hookup fee you get paid back in less than two years. Is the $20 number reasonable? Maybe or maybe not. The first article in the results is Arizona where the utility asked for $50/mo and got $5/mo. But I pay $15/mo to be hooked up to natural gas and nobody seems to think that's robbery at least where I live. I suspect that politicians might accept $25/mo or more as reasonable with enough campaign donations.