Westgate Neighbors Alert:
Meeting at: Hanmi Covenant Presbyterian Church
by Harry Ward
Councilman George Sarantou discusses how to say No to Edison's 44% rate increase.
You probably know that NW Ohio already has some of the highest electric rates in the state. however, did you know that Toledo Edison has petitioned the PUCO for a 44% increase in revenue? Or that the PUCO staff has recommended and increase of "only" 22% to 24%? What can we, the public, do to prevent these increases?
George Sarantou has been City Council's point person on electric rates for several years. He is very upset about these proposed increases; which if implemented will make NW Ohio even less competitive for new jobs. Therefore, George will be our March 9th General Meeting guest, to discuss the background, the current situation, and what we, the citizens, can do to prevent this increase from being approved.
So come to our March 9th meeting, 7:00 PM, and participate in this very important discussion. Bring a friend or neighbor. Like last month, we will again meet upstairs in the church. Look for directional signs as you enter the door.
end of story:
Thank God for PUCO, they only want to increase rates by 25% instead of 44%,, jeez.
I think we can trust them ,, right? NW Ohio is done for. Last one out turn out those damn expensive lights!
first energy is probably trying to make up for the cost of their criminal negligence on the reactor head, and also anticipating the cost of the new carbon tax, and the doubling of the price of coal in recent years. Seems as though even blowing the tops off of mountains isn't helping cut costs enough to keep the price of coal at bay. It is now officially cheaper to make power by wind and solar than by coal and nukes. Where in the hell are our elected officials. With such increases in power rates, industry will RUN out of NW Ohio. The good news, the coke plant will make its own stinking electricity from coal , to that it can continue its task of ruining the best location for tourism and sports fishing tourism in the midwest.
There is one hope, that Toledo, and Ohio in general, work on their own, without the state or federal government, because they are coal corrupted, to do everything needed to make NW Ohio the home to massive installations of solar and wind power, including concentrating solar stirling generators. NASA Glenn in Cleveland knows how to make that happen.
If you want your solar power to come from Arizona, and your wind from North Dakota, keep in mind that line losses of electricity are about 7% per hundred miles. That fact alone makes Ohio the place to make our own electricity from solar and wind. The cities and counties should begin their own programs to incrementally install selected wind and solar to install and evaluate, and be prepared for solar and wind solutions that are orders of magnitude greater in output, especailly solar. Solar is moving very fast. With 3 solar firms in the area, we are criminally negligent for not making large solar installations. First Solar is of course the worlds powerhouse of Solar, as is Q-Cells which just bought Perrysburgs Solar Fields Co, now known as Calyxo. The third company, Xunlight, is making thin film solar panels that are cutting edge and much cheaper. Wait long wait wrong Toledo, because the doubling of the cost of coal in recent years, and First Energy and PUCOs decision that YOU will pay for the Davis Besse debacle, mean monstrous energy prices, and a crap economy.
Toledo should look into community owned power. Cities like Cleveland and Austin, I believe, have municipal power that gives it's citizens lower rates and the ability to pursue renewable energy.
With energy a major factor of production/cost of doing business, getting jacked by First Energy (the name itself kind of hints that it is obsolete)... I don't think this area can afford it.
Toledo can take back it's power source by eminent domain, but in reality could also take it via modern RICO laws... which is the avenue I think is worth pursuing.
Germany also has less sunlight than Seattle I heard and has solar power all over.
posted by charlatan on Mar 01, 2008 at 03:22:02 pm #