I work inside these power plants on a regular basis...I've talked to some of the bigwigs about this..
What you are seeing here is a VERY delayed reaction due to a number of circumstances....here's some info.
For the last several years due to pricing contracts on gas it has been costing more to buy the gas and bring it in than these guys get to produce the electricity. PG&E used to own all these plants up and down the east coast and they went belly up about 5-6 years ago due to this. They sold every plant while in bankruptcy to the new guys and they now have the same problem. Plus the DPU regulates rates...and it's catching up to them now because of the upside down nature they've been in for a while.
ALL of the big plants up here are COAL fired....Basically the "dirty dozen" plants up here....and the majority of the coal mined in this country is going to guess where...CHINA. China is the worlds largest coal mining country and they can't even supply their own economy with it so the US sends a very large majority of what they mine over there to help repay the US debt to China....It costs BIG BIG $$ to bring coal by boat into these plants every week to fuel the boilers...this at the same time the power companies are being absolutely slammed by the EPA to reduce emissions of the nasty by-products of burning coal. Salem Harbors, Brayton Point are two of the worst offenders...and to add these systems to clean the emissions will cost these guys hundreds of millions of dollars... On top of multi million $ cleanups of hazardous materials, spills, etc of stuff that would make your toe-nails curl.
It's a business folks, at some point these guys gotta make money or it's not a business anymore like the last guys found out...
I'M NOT defending these guys but it's easy to see where this is coming from when you understand the dynamics behind it. These plants are some of the DIRTIEST places you would EVER want to go. I have to throw clothes out at times when I get home.
If you guys want to do something contact your senators and reps. Tell them you want this mess cleaned up, tell them you want more subsidies for GREEN fuel. And yes if it means wind or solar then by all means. Tell them you want these plants converted to closed loop systems....We're burning fossil fuels at such a rate that in 10 years or less you'll be looking back at this today and wishing you had rates as low as this...it's only going to get worse.... And it's a world we're giving to our kids...I feel bad for what they're getting when I see stuff like this at the plants
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Originally Posted by vineyardblues
I just can not see how they are doing this ? Many older people (not u 2 grumps) are on a budget!
Damm if your electric bill is 100.00 it will now jump to 180.00 ?????
I think I am missing something here? It just can not be right.
Never mind the cost of gas/oil and natural gas to heat your house going up.
Something is very wrong, it just can not jump that high that quick.
VB
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