Power Bill

[fordAU]

Qld is rapidly becoming Vic under Joan Kirner. It wont be Vics moving up, lets all move down there.

Exorbitant power and water bills, most expensive fuel on average in the country, most expensive rego in the country, the state is broke, the roads are goat tracks and besides all that I bet Ms Hardhat will romp back in.
The smart state

[FordACE]

gee I thought our current $515 (quarterly) bill was excessive. We have been trying to cut back on power usage, but it takes alot of effort. Our previous one was 700. That is with 4 people sharing a rental property. I want the quarterly bills to get back to the 350 mark.

[buggerlugs]

Originally Posted by RaTTuS

I'm curious as to what you guys are running to get such high power bills, my split system runs all day and gets turned off at night, 2 fridges, 3pc's that run 24hours a day + ceiling fans and lights on all night. My power bill for the 1/4 barely nudges 350

Geez, have you got a Seniors card or pensioner discount !!!!

[buggerlugs]

Originally Posted by Wally

Is it...damn. I think it's the air cond... I do like my comfort. I filled in the pool and built a media room over the top it, so it can't be that.

I'm hearing you about the pool. Kids haven't used our pool for ages. We got Air Con put in the house a couple of years ago and when it's hot they won't go outside. I would of killed for a pool when I was a youngen...........

[Wally]

Originally Posted by snappy84

Consintently charging those commodore batteries wally . :

That's what the user manual says I should do; that and park on an incline incase the starter is cactus.

Originally Posted by buggerlugs

I'm hearing you about the pool. Kids haven't used our pool for ages. We got Air Con put in the house a couple of years ago and when it's hot they won't go outside. I would of killed for a pool when I was a youngen...........

Yeah I lived out my chilhood fantasy too, but the kids grew out of it quickly. Leaves, chlorine, filter earth, power, etc for a few dips a year. Recently my wife has been on my back to get aanother, so I'm thinking a new house with a lap pool under it = no leaves, no sunburn, no evaporation.

[sarrge2001]

Power rates increase this year in the NT is 18% - with more of the same next year!!!

Thats what you get when you build gas powered generation plants and then have to run them on diesel cos there is no gas being piped in. FAIL!!

And of course, no competition!

[olfella]

Originally Posted by Wally

Is that the same water that was free to households 20+ years ago?

That is the stuff. Apparently governments at all levels seen this as another way to get their mitts into our back pockets - after all they must value add somewhere along the line (pipe).

[SB076]

If you are worried now give it a few years and see what happens (ETS plus more homes and people yet the same level of infrastructure)

I suggest switching between the providers it may help But i do agree it is a big concern with some of the increases we are experiencing. Have to wonder where all this money is going

[Iggypoppin']

Ours is around 1200 per quarter give or take. We run two aircon quite a lot, two computers round the clock, and dads hifi is always on as he's home most of the time. Once all new lights are in out back that will probably bump it up some more.

[ebxr8240]

Originally Posted by SB076

If you are worried now give it a few years and see what happens (ETS plus more homes and people yet the same level of infrastructure)

I suggest switching between the providers it may help But i do agree it is a big concern with some of the increases we are experiencing. Have to wonder where all this money is going

Close to $1000m a year to state gov ..Per authority / provider...
So our elect meters have long been income revenue for state gov..
They say they can as they are the major share holder...
Even though the people are !!!

[Jesk]

well for me my most recent bills have all been around $150 a quarter, including electric hotwater and stove

[Jastel]

Originally Posted by robjh80

Absolutely everything is going up in Qld .. not just the power bills!

I can't honestly think of anything off the top of my head that isn't going up.

WAGES!!!

[FPVUTEXR8]

Not to be the bearer of bad news but if you think the cost of electricity is dear now it's nothing on what it will be after their Carbon Dcheme comes in.

Lets look at it this way , They want 20 % of power production to be from renewable sources , ATM we have wind and Solar . A extremely efficient solar sytem will generate for a total of 8 hours maximum during a summer day , 6 Hours in winter .

Do the math and using solar you will need to produce 60 % of the states power useage for 8 hours , Trust me thats a Lot of Power . And the cost of such a system yea well we will leave that for some one with some wayy better maths skills than me.

Of course their is Wind but hey price a wind turbine and do the math .

Dont get me wrong Im all for being climate smart and doing our bit for the environment , But if no one can afford to live in a house and buy food whats really the point hey .

Then Again we could take the Smart but Very unpopular approach , Build a decent size Nucelar Reactor , Use our own uranium to power it , decomission the coal fired power plants , Produce Relatively clean and cheap power .

Ne way enuf of my rant ,

[olfella]

Originally Posted by FPVUTEXR8

Not to be the bearer of bad news but if you think the cost of electricity is dear now it's nothing on what it will be after their Carbon Dcheme comes in.

Lets look at it this way , They want 20 % of power production to be from renewable sources , ATM we have wind and Solar . A extremely efficient solar sytem will generate for a total of 8 hours maximum during a summer day , 6 Hours in winter .

Do the math and using solar you will need to produce 60 % of the states power useage for 8 hours , Trust me thats a Lot of Power . And the cost of such a system yea well we will leave that for some one with some wayy better maths skills than me.

Of course their is Wind but hey price a wind turbine and do the math .

Dont get me wrong Im all for being climate smart and doing our bit for the environment , But if no one can afford to live in a house and buy food whats really the point hey .

Then Again we could take the Smart but Very unpopular approach , Build a decent size Nucelar Reactor , Use our own uranium to power it , decomission the coal fired power plants , Produce Relatively clean and cheap power .

Ne way enuf of my rant ,

If we go nuclear how do we tell China and India to keep buying our coal to burn? I think the whole carbon scheme is just another way to introduce more taxes. There is just as much science for climate change as there is against so governments fall back to the old chestnut of fear.

And don't get me started on wages because is it wages chasing prices or prices chasing wages. In this case I reckon it is the price of deregulation.

[dogfish]

We all want to earn more money so we can buy bigger and better things then demand makes property prices go up so more people rent then rent goes up so its cheaper to buy a house then the house becomes an investment so it goes up in value then our wages go up to be able to live in todays society.
People become property developers/renovators to make a fast buck we need more money.
I wish they had of capped property prices years ago so I was still on crap money and everything was relative but the underlying tone is Greed thats what drives everything up and yes I am guilty of it myself.
But Australia will hit very hard times in the not too distant future with our dollar being so strong.
Obama printing more cash in the states to drive their dollar down really made sense as people are going to buy more of Americas wheat for example as the price is so low and having borrowed all their money in u.s dollars means easier to pay back he is a smart man.
Wish our governments thought of their people rather themselves and the next election and how to win hearts oops votes.

[naddis01]

As has been said, if you think power is expensive now, wait for the CPRS comes in.

Thank god agriculture has been excluded from it at this stage. Otherwise bye bye 90% of farms out there.

[snappy]

Originally Posted by naddis01

As has been said, if you think power is expensive now, wait for the CPRS comes in.

Thank god agriculture has been excluded from it at this stage. Otherwise bye bye 90% of farms out there.

yes and no , there seed,fertilizer,fuel,power,water,machinery everything will cost more so they are not totally excluded

[buggerlugs]

Was just told by the power company that the QLD Gov put the power up by 15% on the 1st of July. Geez that seemed to be kept pretty quite........

[Charliewool]

Came home yesterday to discover a booklet on the front door mat informing me that PowerCor have installed my new "Smart-Meter" (see link if you haven't heard of them)

http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/dpi/dpinen...2572B20004C403

Is it just me being over cynical in my old age... or is there something MORE to these things other than just doing the old meter reader out of a job?

[NC1183]

Originally Posted by charliewool

Came home yesterday to discover a booklet on the front door mat informing me that PowerCor have installed my new "Smart-Meter" (see link if you haven't heard of them)

http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/dpi/dpinen...2572B20004C403

Is it just me being over cynical in my old age... or is there something MORE to these things other than just doing the old meter reader out of a job?

We are starting to use them on house's with known agro dogs, as a way of avoiding attacks

[BENT_8]

Originally Posted by dogfish

We all want to earn more money so we can buy bigger and better things then demand makes property prices go up so more people rent then rent goes up so its cheaper to buy a house then the house becomes an investment so it goes up in value then our wages go up to be able to live in todays society.
People become property developers/renovators to make a fast buck we need more money.
I wish they had of capped property prices years ago so I was still on crap money and everything was relative but the underlying tone is Greed thats what drives everything up and yes I am guilty of it myself.
But Australia will hit very hard times in the not too distant future with our dollar being so strong.

A sensible outlook!
Lets face it, over the last decade the cost of everything has gone up wages included.
What did people think, personal wealth was going to increase, yet cost of living was gonna stay low.
Lets not forget, the people working for these dept(Rego, power, water, gas) all get wage increases just like you, im sure alot of them have large mortgagaes too.
When their wages goes up, the product their company sells goes up to pay for it.

[olfella]

Originally Posted by charliewool

Came home yesterday to discover a booklet on the front door mat informing me that PowerCor have installed my new "Smart-Meter" (see link if you haven't heard of them)

http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/dpi/dpinen...2572B20004C403

Is it just me being over cynical in my old age... or is there something MORE to these things other than just doing the old meter reader out of a job?

There was an article in the Daily Telegraph (Sydney) a few days ago. The crux of it said that in the near future power companies can charge different rates for different periods of the day. Apparently they can even tell if your air conditioner is on in the day and charge accordingly - the more you use the more it will cost. the upshot of this was instead if providing cheaper power int was in fact (based on existing connections) dearer. Well worth the read if you can dig up the article.

[olfella]

Found some links...
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/new...-1225776834499

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/s...7-3102,00.html

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/aust...-1225801980649

[Charliewool]

Originally Posted by olfella

Found some links...
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/new...-1225776834499

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/s...7-3102,00.html

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/aust...-1225801980649

There is some seriously scary stuff in those links!!... And it's HERE.. NOW! (well for this black duck, it is)
Once again the masses Steamrolled (or should it be hoodwinked) without a whimper!!..
I see at least you guys in NSW have until 2017

[EDManual]

glad I dont have an air conditioner!

[Jason[98.EL]]

i wonder what telecommunication's they will use

I don't have a hard telephone line here (cable internet ) with voip and the normal return to base type things dont work

Jason

[mcnews]

Originally Posted by ebxr8240

Have to pay for new power generation some how...
Seems the last 20 years... NO money has been spent on [power generation] infrastructure.. Now it's our fault and we have to pay for it.. Even more now with this carbon tax...My last power bill was $800 also..

The politicians that sold out state infrastructure should face a court for blind stupidity.

[Charliewool]

Originally Posted by Jason[98.EL]

i wonder what telecommunication's they will use

I don't have a hard telephone line here (cable internet ) with voip and the normal return to base type things dont work

Jason

Low power RF so the booklet says. No phone line required?
http://www.powercor.com.au/Smart_Met...ter_Functions/