Heads-up to anyone in Juneau, and to anyone moving here soon... (Anchorage: hazard insurance, month to)

[Xa'at]

Originally Posted by RayinAK

No...no! She would just spend the money buying things to make her life easier.

I cancelled my subscription to this thread because it was distracting me from my paper, but now I'm free, and I gotta say...

Dude, WTF?

[RayinAK]

Originally Posted by Xa'at

I cancelled my subscription to this thread because it was distracting me from my paper, but now I'm free, and I gotta say...

Dude, WTF?

What paper? School paper?

[Xa'at]

Originally Posted by RayinAK

What paper? School paper?

I wrote a paper for a class that I'm in. But that's not the point.
Please, tell me you were just joking around with your little comment. 'Cause honestly, I don't want to have to chew you out.

[RayinAK]

Originally Posted by Xa'at

I wrote a paper for a class that I'm in. But that's not the point.
Please, tell me you were just joking around with your little comment. 'Cause honestly, I don't want to have to chew you out.

Of course I was. With the electricity problems in Juneau, a Honda generator crossed my mind, and that's what I said (something like a "5000-watt Honda inverter generator").

Well, time to go to bed. Will come back tomorrow. Happy schooling, Xa'at

[Xa'at]

Originally Posted by RayinAK

Well, time to go to bed. Will come back tomorrow. Happy schooling, Xa'at

Excellent. Well, you sleep well. Don't forget to look out the window for auroras...

[Floyd_Davidson]

Originally Posted by RayinAK

Around 25 years around here, and a few years more around anchorage. I just don't know of any subsidy that has brought the cost of utilities down to anybody I know, nor to me. I

How can you say that when I just listed two examples of exactly that: the Northern Intertie and the Healy Clean Coal Plant???

I can't find anything that gives a funding break down on the Intertie, but the State contributed to the $81 million cost.

The funding break down for the Healy Clean Coal Project looks like this:

• $150 million, Alaska Industrial Development & Export Authority
• $120 million, Department of Energy
• $ 25 million, Alaska Legislature
• $ 10 GVEA & Usibelli Coal Mine

GVEA buys 17% of the output from the Bradley Lake Hydroelectric Project, which the State of Alaska paid $175 million of the total $328 million cost.

These are all subsidies that were intended to reduce your electric bill. They are provided to you via AS 37.05.520, the Railbelt Energy Fund, which was originally authorized in 1986 with $230 million. The "Railbelt" covers about 75% of Alaska's population, and accounts for about 85% of its electric power generation.

[rotorhead]

Look up "power cost equalization". It shows up on our electric bills here in Haines. The state also uses it as a financial lever to nudge utilities towards more efficient power generation, a provision which we are excempt from since our power is mainly from hydro.

I've been listening to the radio about the Juneau avalanche, and it seems that the utility there plans to charge folks the new MUCH higher rate for ALL the power on their latest bills, even that used before the slide. How are they getting away with a move like that?

[Floyd_Davidson]

Originally Posted by rotorhead

Look up "power cost equalization".

There are two distinct programs. There is no overlap, but between the two virtually every Alaskan has received some form of subsidy from the State of Alaska intended to help reduce the cost of power. ("Intended" is a keyword. It is very open to debate just how effectively any of these monies have been spend!)

In 1980 the legislature funded $2.2 million for "Power Production Cost Assistance", for rural power cost equalization. The Power Cost Equalization program as it exists today is funded by legislation enacted in 2000 to create the Power Cost Equalization Endowment Fund. Initially it began with $100 million from the Constitutional Budget Rerserve, and later $81 was added from sale of the Four Dam Pool. The fund was intended to be self supporting.

Very distinct from that is the Railbelt Energy Fund, created in 1986 with a $230 million appropriation that was to be used by the Alaska Railbelt Energy Authority to support projects that would "assist in meeting Railbelt energy needs." It was not intended to be a self sustaining fund.

[akck]

Originally Posted by rotorhead

I've been listening to the radio about the Juneau avalanche, and it seems that the utility there plans to charge folks the new MUCH higher rate for ALL the power on their latest bills, even that used before the slide. How are they getting away with a move like that?

They say the regulations are written that way. Those of us fortunate enough to just get our bills will luck out for now, but we'll get dinged on the other end. Our first big bill will be due in June. The only saving grace is the last big bill will be from a month of lower power usage during the summer.

Of course our rates will likely stay higher so we can pay for the repairs.

[cobolt]

Well that's the thing: how long do the rates stay at the increased rate? Is there a plan or timeframe? My bet is no. After the repairs have been done and the higher energy costs paid, you'll continue to see the higher rates and some claptrap justification for them.