Following up on yesterday’s post about community choice aggregators in California and the development of a political slush fund sourced from utility bills, four thoughts.
Just looked at my PG&E bill and found the "Central Coast Community Energy" charges of $45.91 on my bill due 4.2. Had to wait on hold with PG&E for 20 minutes, they admitted that they are forced to enroll me in this scam. I was able to call CCCE or (3CE) and opt out. Took a total of about 7 minutes following telephone prompts. Thank you for your article. I will report back on what happens on my next bill(s).
You'll have to pay generation charges to pg&e instead, which will probably be equivalent to the "generation credit" you are credited for on your bill. This is pg&e crediting you for the fraction of their rate which is associated with power generation, which 3ce is charging you for instead.
PG&Es rate will probably be higher than 3CE. I asked about this in the comments and another user claims it's because the IOUs are locked into less competitive contracts with energy producers at higher prices. This seems logical but I cannot verify it to be the case.
Nebraska is a public power state. We haven't had any IOUs in Nebraska since the thirties. Our Power District's are political subdivisions. Each has its own elected board. They are exempt from taxation, very, very, lightly regulated, and prohibited from doing anything except: Generate, transmit and distribute electrical power. They get special access to low-cost federal power from the dams on the Missouri River. All of them are very focused on keeping rates as low as possible. If they don't, there is always an election coming up. Nebraska is very late to adopt wind. We had to change the state law. The Power District's refused to spend a dime on windmill's (no tax-increment financing for the Power Districts) - Public power can work - you have to keep the politicians away from it. It doesn't hurt that the power districts are pretty small usually. We all know what is going on.
divide and conquer - a small number of petty, elected, politicians run the power districts - that is their only duty, it is their public trust. THEY keep the other politicians away. There is no evil IOU to paint red. The Public Service Commision in Nebraska is toothless against the power districts.
Partly right GHH. It a well known biological fact that a certain percentage of lawyers will always, when its dark and foggy, and the temperature is hovering in the low thirties, metamorphize into politicians.
But I completely agree that most politicians are, indeed, tools.
Yes! Everybody should keep in mind that no decisions are made without lawyers. I once saw a group of lawyers having to make a decision, so they called in another lawyer.
It returns us to the observation about who wins a contest between people who want to hurt and pillage other people, on the one hand, and people who just want to be left alone.
I wonder how many people within the IOUs know about this.
My job (which I should be doing instead of reading Substack) is electric utility design for SDGE via a contract engineering company. Chris is right; it's mostly engineers running the show, along with linemen and some admins.
Never have I run into these vulture fake utilities. Their names don't show up on our drawing sets; they don't review our work; they don't review or issue permits for the work, or traffic control, or anything at all. So in terms of the actual work of keeping the lights on, they're useless. And even more, invisible. I don't think they'd know a transformer bank if they saw one.
They probably couldn't spot a transformer, but I guarantee you they can spot the liability from PCBs, "Nope, nope, nope, not us!!! That belongs to those guys!!!"
"This assumes, of course, that your local government isn’t run by sociopathic grifters"
Not a safe assumption. We seem to have reached the point where ALL elected positions are filled by "sociopathic grifters". Local, regional, state or federal elected bodies are full of the bastards.
Not sure its possible to vote our way out of this.
I'm sure all the "insurrectionist/science deniers/racist/phobiaphobics/ad naseum" can be certain that they'll always be able to get uninterrupted on demand energy.
I don't think this one ends well.
This is exactly why they use labels to identify the "enemy".
Enemies don't deserve power...you see because we must vanquish them.
So, the legislature created a "subgovernmental agency" - one that cannot be challenged politically because it was chosen by the energy consumers (who, in reality, did not actually choose it) to be charged more for the same service under the management of the same, original energy company. And the "profits" generated by this scheme go into a political slush fund. Is that about it?
These people are indeed engineers - socialism engineers. They make the processes of daily life so complex and opaque they can seemingly defraud the consumer for any amount of money and hide it behind a "greedy corporation," all the while, heading the entire operation but acting as benevolent overseers who are working for our good.
I quit a local “sustainability” group over this and other pointless greenwashing enterprises, like pushing carbon tax, electric cars, paper straws, “shopping green” rather than what was advertised: community building for transformational self-reliance and mutual aid. A classic case of misdirection and cooption of do-gooder’s energy and talent. Anyone asking questions could see the grift from the moon.
Way less than 10% I presume. I'm in Ventura County, I live in a little town and when you look at the map, its one of three small islands that aren't captured. Most of the county is part of one of these Power Pogroms. The city council (in the past) must have refused to play ball. Its not surprising to me that the city fathers voted against it, but I had no idea this even came up.
The way that the state PUC has managed the billing, it is so hard to predict what your bill will be. Its like a reverse lottery ticket when you see the Edison Bill. I am never sure how much it will be and am often surprised/disappointed. I can't be the only one who feels this way, and so when out of the blue there is $40 more on the bill, most people probably shrug and move on.
Over complication of processes that should be simple, and mis-naming things is part of the play book. This is maddening. I'm working on getting out of here, but haven't yet decided where to head.
Tell you how this ends...? This ends with Chris packing up his family and leaving the looniest state in the union for saner, safer regions. (the sooner the better)
Chris,
Just looked at my PG&E bill and found the "Central Coast Community Energy" charges of $45.91 on my bill due 4.2. Had to wait on hold with PG&E for 20 minutes, they admitted that they are forced to enroll me in this scam. I was able to call CCCE or (3CE) and opt out. Took a total of about 7 minutes following telephone prompts. Thank you for your article. I will report back on what happens on my next bill(s).
MP
Don't miss the step of explicitly choosing the most affordable rate plan with PG&E. Don't let them choose your rate plan for you.
Took that step previously, "affordable" is in the eye of the beholder!
No one would ever opt in! So they sweep everybody in and make you opt out. Most people don’t know.
You'll have to pay generation charges to pg&e instead, which will probably be equivalent to the "generation credit" you are credited for on your bill. This is pg&e crediting you for the fraction of their rate which is associated with power generation, which 3ce is charging you for instead.
PG&Es rate will probably be higher than 3CE. I asked about this in the comments and another user claims it's because the IOUs are locked into less competitive contracts with energy producers at higher prices. This seems logical but I cannot verify it to be the case.
Nebraska is a public power state. We haven't had any IOUs in Nebraska since the thirties. Our Power District's are political subdivisions. Each has its own elected board. They are exempt from taxation, very, very, lightly regulated, and prohibited from doing anything except: Generate, transmit and distribute electrical power. They get special access to low-cost federal power from the dams on the Missouri River. All of them are very focused on keeping rates as low as possible. If they don't, there is always an election coming up. Nebraska is very late to adopt wind. We had to change the state law. The Power District's refused to spend a dime on windmill's (no tax-increment financing for the Power Districts) - Public power can work - you have to keep the politicians away from it. It doesn't hurt that the power districts are pretty small usually. We all know what is going on.
A faint glimmer of hope!
How do you keep "the politicians" away?
Scatter a trail of cash and little boys leading in the opposite direction?
divide and conquer - a small number of petty, elected, politicians run the power districts - that is their only duty, it is their public trust. THEY keep the other politicians away. There is no evil IOU to paint red. The Public Service Commision in Nebraska is toothless against the power districts.
OUCH! … but sadly true.
I find myself laughing and crying in the same breath here...
bsn
It really bothers me that this may be a viable solution.
Truth there Chris ⬆️⬆️⬆️
😂😂
It´s actually the lawyers. Politicians are merely tools.
Partly right GHH. It a well known biological fact that a certain percentage of lawyers will always, when its dark and foggy, and the temperature is hovering in the low thirties, metamorphize into politicians.
But I completely agree that most politicians are, indeed, tools.
Yes! Everybody should keep in mind that no decisions are made without lawyers. I once saw a group of lawyers having to make a decision, so they called in another lawyer.
You must admit, these unmitigated thieves are brilliant at their deceptions.
It returns us to the observation about who wins a contest between people who want to hurt and pillage other people, on the one hand, and people who just want to be left alone.
Beware the fury of a patient man.
🙌
I wonder how many people within the IOUs know about this.
My job (which I should be doing instead of reading Substack) is electric utility design for SDGE via a contract engineering company. Chris is right; it's mostly engineers running the show, along with linemen and some admins.
Never have I run into these vulture fake utilities. Their names don't show up on our drawing sets; they don't review our work; they don't review or issue permits for the work, or traffic control, or anything at all. So in terms of the actual work of keeping the lights on, they're useless. And even more, invisible. I don't think they'd know a transformer bank if they saw one.
They probably couldn't spot a transformer, but I guarantee you they can spot the liability from PCBs, "Nope, nope, nope, not us!!! That belongs to those guys!!!"
They have nothing to do with T&D…. They just “provide” the power.
I'm so disgusted by this I had to take several breaks while reading these articles.
Me too RAD
"This assumes, of course, that your local government isn’t run by sociopathic grifters"
Not a safe assumption. We seem to have reached the point where ALL elected positions are filled by "sociopathic grifters". Local, regional, state or federal elected bodies are full of the bastards.
Not sure its possible to vote our way out of this.
I'm sure all the "insurrectionist/science deniers/racist/phobiaphobics/ad naseum" can be certain that they'll always be able to get uninterrupted on demand energy.
I don't think this one ends well.
This is exactly why they use labels to identify the "enemy".
Enemies don't deserve power...you see because we must vanquish them.
Ryan... we're going to have to kill them, mate 🤷 In a.g.g.r.e.g.a.t.e.
And their families
Chris, I posted this to my Nextdoor feed. I've been canceled by them before. Let's see what kind of response I get from my 'neighbors'.
Sandra, I'm at the point where being put in Nextdoor jail for a week is a badge of honor for me. Can't wait to here what your neighbors say...
So when you flip the switch in the evening out in CA, do you hear the sound of a Gender Studies major getting zir’s wings?
This is the most beautiful thought I have ever read, and I just started to weep with joy.
So, the legislature created a "subgovernmental agency" - one that cannot be challenged politically because it was chosen by the energy consumers (who, in reality, did not actually choose it) to be charged more for the same service under the management of the same, original energy company. And the "profits" generated by this scheme go into a political slush fund. Is that about it?
These people are indeed engineers - socialism engineers. They make the processes of daily life so complex and opaque they can seemingly defraud the consumer for any amount of money and hide it behind a "greedy corporation," all the while, heading the entire operation but acting as benevolent overseers who are working for our good.
I still don't get it.
Charge customers more and use the "profits" for political groups.
Bullshit jobs for people who are not qualified to hold a real job.
So that answers my question yesterday. The IOU, the real utilities, just have to take it and can't say anything. Damn.
I quit a local “sustainability” group over this and other pointless greenwashing enterprises, like pushing carbon tax, electric cars, paper straws, “shopping green” rather than what was advertised: community building for transformational self-reliance and mutual aid. A classic case of misdirection and cooption of do-gooder’s energy and talent. Anyone asking questions could see the grift from the moon.
So basically it’s just more Bullshit in CA!
No. Maine is under assault too.
Chris, What % of people in CA are aware of this stupidity? I am guessing it is a low number. This is likely the best scam not involving Hunter Biden.
Ten percent? I can only guess.
less than that, if Chris and other people are just learning about it. I doubt many even in the Utilities know about it.
Way less than 10% I presume. I'm in Ventura County, I live in a little town and when you look at the map, its one of three small islands that aren't captured. Most of the county is part of one of these Power Pogroms. The city council (in the past) must have refused to play ball. Its not surprising to me that the city fathers voted against it, but I had no idea this even came up.
The way that the state PUC has managed the billing, it is so hard to predict what your bill will be. Its like a reverse lottery ticket when you see the Edison Bill. I am never sure how much it will be and am often surprised/disappointed. I can't be the only one who feels this way, and so when out of the blue there is $40 more on the bill, most people probably shrug and move on.
Over complication of processes that should be simple, and mis-naming things is part of the play book. This is maddening. I'm working on getting out of here, but haven't yet decided where to head.
Tell you how this ends...? This ends with Chris packing up his family and leaving the looniest state in the union for saner, safer regions. (the sooner the better)