Recently there was a discussion over on Facebook regarding the spike in people’s electric bills that was very likely the result of a combination of the cold weather and a little longer read cycle than normal (about 34 days over the normal 29 or 30; that WILL drive an equal bill up 14% month over month and make an otherwise $175.00 bill become a $200.00 one).
It caused me to review my utility costs (overall) which I have historical record of as follows:
Now with respect to all of my utilities over the years, you can see that on average they have gone up, year over year, 4.74%.
The 4.74% is subjective to many things, not least of all, services purchased. During these periods I added and removed cable service, switched providers, changed cellular plans and so forth. Also, colder or warmer months lead to using more or perhaps less services for electric (I am all electric everything, heat, AC, hot water,etc) depending on conditions and who was home at the time.
The best way to review then is to compare what are effective “static” charges. Since I can add and remove service to phone and TV the easier ones are electric service and water and sewer. Now electric in my case is technically affected as over the years I changed out windows, pumped insulation in my attic, and installed two pellet stoves. Having said that, the core charges for the utilities, the cost per unit, CAN be tracked.
The charges on the below line items for the electric rates also combine the "Power Cost Adjustment" as well the "Energy Conservation Fund" and they average the utility kWH charges (as “winter” and “summer” rates were introduced sometime after 2007. The differential is a penny and a slight fraction so I have averaged it across 12 months to make it flat).
WALLINGFORD ELECTRIC
2005
CUSTOMER SERVICE CHARGE $8.00 per month
kWH CHARGES – FIRST 700kWH .078 / over 700kWH .076
2006
CUSTOMER SERVICE CHARGE $8.00 per month
kWH CHARGES – FIRST 700kWH .088 / over 700kWH .086
2007
CUSTOMER SERVICE CHARGE $8.00 per month
kWH CHARGES – FIRST 700kWH .1051 / over 700kWH .1032
2008
CUSTOMER SERVICE CHARGE $9.00 per month
kWH CHARGES – FIRST 700kWH .1140 / over 700kWH .1190
2009
CUSTOMER SERVICE CHARGE $10.00 per month
kWH CHARGES – FIRST 700kWH .1225 / over 700kWH .1291
2010
CUSTOMER SERVICE CHARGE $11.00 per month
kWH CHARGES – FIRST 700kWH .1271 / over 700kWH .1334
2011
CUSTOMER SERVICE CHARGE $11.70 per month
kWH CHARGES – FIRST 700kWH .1271 / over 700kWH .1334
2012
CUSTOMER SERVICE CHARGE $16.00 per month
kWH CHARGES – FIRST 700kWH .1162 / over 700kWH .1252
2013
CUSTOMER SERVICE CHARGE $17.00 per month
kWH CHARGES – FIRST 700kWH .1162 / over 700kWH .1252
2014
CUSTOMER SERVICE CHARGE $17.00 per month
kWH CHARGES – FIRST 700kWH .1096 / over 700kWH .11.57
2015
CUSTOMER SERVICE CHARGE $18.00 per month
kWH CHARGES – FIRST 700kWH .1104 / over 700kWH .1092
SUMMARY:
The CUSTOMER SERVICE CHARGE has gone up 125% over the 11 years
The kWH CHARGE has gone up 42% over the 11 years.
Have your rates gone up? Yes.
Have the rate increases averaged in a 3.8% outstripped inflation’s 2.28% average inflation rate over the past 11 years? Yes.
http://www.usinflationcalculator.com/inflation/consumer-price-index-and-annual-percent-changes-from-1913-to-2008/
This is not a full comparison but CL&P’s fully combined rate (all charges computed into kWH cost) is about 22 cents per kWH.
United Illuminating is about 26 cents per kWH. - http://bit.ly/1M0P0Yt
Wallingford Electric is about 14 cents per kWH. (I was unable to find rate information online). The end result is a MUCH better rate in comparison to the other two utilities DESPITE the increase in cost at a rate 80% higher than the rise of CPI.
Additionally – Wallingford Electric’s service is simply off the charts; it’s worth paying UI rates to receive the service levels we get here.
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Water / Sewer
I don’t have comparison information – only the increase in the costs over the years:
With water and sewer the charges are "per 100 CU. ft."
Water has its charge and sewer has one as well; the reading of which is taken as 75% of the metered water use fee (assumed / estimated sewer use).
2005
Water use charge $2.22 per 100 CU. ft.
Base WATER service fee (flat fee) $15.27
Sewer use charge $2.89 per 100 CU. ft. (Calculated against 75% of the metered water use).
Base SEWER service fee (flat fee) $9.00
2006
Water use charge $2.22 per 100 CU. ft.
Base WATER service fee (flat fee) $15.27
Sewer use charge $2.89 per 100 CU. ft. (Calculated against 75% of the metered water use).
Base SEWER service fee (flat fee) $9.00
2007
Water use charge $2.44 per 100 CU. ft.
Base WATER service fee (flat fee) $15.11
Sewer use charge $3.31 per 100 CU. ft. (Calculated against 75% of the metered water use).
Base SEWER service fee (flat fee) $11.64
2008
Water use charge $2.44 per 100 CU. ft.
Base WATER service fee (flat fee) $15.11
Sewer use charge $3.31 per 100 CU. ft. (Calculated against 75% of the metered water use).
Base SEWER service fee (flat fee) $11.64
2009
Water use charge $2.88 per 100 CU. ft.
Base WATER service fee (flat fee) $15.11
Sewer use charge $3.73 per 100 CU. ft. (Calculated against 75% of the metered water use).
Base SEWER service fee (flat fee) $11.64
2010
Water use charge $2.88 per 100 CU. ft.
Base WATER service fee (flat fee) $15.11
Sewer use charge $3.73 per 100 CU. ft. (Calculated against 75% of the metered water use).
Base SEWER service fee (flat fee) $11.64
I am missing my paper bills between 2011 and 2013; if I come across them at some point I will update this section.
Somewhere within this segment the usage costs and rates were changed how they are calculated on the bills; the use is still tallied up in CF use but the rate is no longer shown as "per 100 CU. ft" on the bills. In order to keep this review consistent, I have multiplied the use rates shown on the bills by 100 to represent "per 100 CU. ft"
2014
Water use charge $3.56 per 100 CU. ft.
Base WATER service fee (flat fee) $15.11
Sewer use charge $5.25 per 100 CU. ft. (Calculated against 75% of the metered water use).
Base SEWER service fee (flat fee) $22.28
2015
Water use charge $3.84 per 100 CU. ft.
Base WATER service fee (flat fee) $15.11
Sewer use charge $5.25 per 100 CU. ft. (Calculated against 75% of the metered water use).
Base SEWER service fee (flat fee) $22.28
The Base WATER service fee (flat fee) has come down fractionally over the 11 years from $15.27 to $15.11.
The Base SEWER service fee (flat fee) has gone up over the 11 years from $9.00 to $22.28; that is an increase of 250% or 22.72% a year on average.
The Base WATER use charge has gone up over the 11 years from $2.22 per 100 CU. ft. to $3.84; that is an increase of 74% or 6.73% a year on average.
The Base SEWER use charge has gone up over the 11 years from $2.89 per 100 CU. ft. to $5.25; that is an increase of 82% or 7.45% a year on average.
Have your rates gone up? Yes.
Have the rate increases outstripped inflation’s 2.28% average inflation rate over the past 11 years? Yes (6.73% and 7.45% respectively).
http://www.usinflationcalculator.com/inflation/consumer-price-index-and-annual-percent-changes-from-1913-to-2008/
In general what you have to remember about the base service fees is pay them for the privilege of using the services. You might not draw a single watt all year but if you’re hooked up you will pay $216.00 regardless. You might not draw a drop of water from the tap but you will pay $181.32 for your right to do so. You might not discharge into the public system a single drop of discharge but you will pay $267.36 for the rights to do so.
As a customer of the Wallingford Utilities, you pay $664.68 for the RIGHT to use the systems and the services but that charge has not allowed you ANY use of them at all. This is no different anywhere else (other utilities in other towns have the same charges or perhaps even more expensive ones) but it is food for thought - $664.68 of your utilities bills goes to use rights only and not any use of anything whatsoever.
