The Cost of Electricity

[one...two...tree 2,762]

[peejay 327]

My last electric bill for my little one story house was $69.43 for 468kWh of electricity. Seems pretty reasonable to me. No matter how it was generated, at least I can afford it on my meager earnings. If you can't pay for it, who cares how clean and green the electricity is.

[mawilson 2,133]

Looks like natural gas is the way to go?

[Ban Hammer 13,352]

Looks like natural gas is the way to go?

t. boone pickens approves your post.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Looks like natural gas is the way to go?

Not really. The infrastructure is old and over-tasked. Natural gas, while plentiful in the US, is still a limited resource and getting harder to obtain without significant environmental impact. Subterranean geological structures are complex, and something needs to replace the extracted material, either by shifting and settling, or by the intrusion of ground and/or sea water.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Seems like we need to put a moratorium on any new electric cars until we find a more enviromentally sound source of fuel for electricty. We need to stop feeding profit to the fossil fuel generation of electricity.

Why would anyone who values our planet drive a coal or nuclear powered car?

When will Obama do something about this?

[mawilson 2,133]

Why would anyone who values our planet drive a coal or nuclear powered car?

It's about energy independence, not saving the planet. Coal, natural gas, nuclear are domestic. Oil comes from foreign countries run by dictators. When you drive a gasoline powered car, your tax dollars further empower those dictators.

And no, we don't have enough domestic oil in this country so the "drill more" strategy will not work.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Not really. The infrastructure is old and over-tasked. Natural gas, while plentiful in the US, is still a limited resource and getting harder to obtain without significant environmental impact. Subterranean geological structures are complex, and something needs to replace the extracted material, either by shifting and settling, or by the intrusion of ground and/or sea water.

All of which is included in the price you pay. Seriously? #######?????????????

Does anyone imagine that the gas distribution companies do not include the cost of infrastructure repair/maintenance/replacement in their prices? This is a joke, right? Does ANYONE think that the gas producers discover "Dammit, we didn't figure for that sea-water!" I think these geniuses that have come up with such excuses should inform the gas producers, distributors and utilities that they forgot all this!

The conservative estimates of natural gas supplies are at about a 400 year supply. Not long, I know (I'm worried too) but considering we did not heat our homes with gas 100 years ago, why would anyone think we would do so in 400 years?

The very low price we pay for electricity generated by gas and the low price we pay for heating our homes with gas INCLUDES all the associated costs of the fuel. These are private companies, NOT the government and they actually cover ALL these costs AND make a profit for the price we pay.

[mawilson 2,133]

Natural gas, while plentiful in the US, is still a limited resource and getting harder to obtain without significant environmental impact.

That's just factually incorrect. Natural gas is plentiful AND getting easier, not harder, to obtain. Natural gas prices are the lowest they have been in years. The prices are so low and natural gas so oversupplied that most US shale gas leaseholders and producers are sitting on their proven undeveloped reserves, shutting in wells or not drilling them at all.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

It's about energy independence, not saving the planet. Coal, natural gas, nuclear are domestic. Oil comes from foreign countries run by dictators. When you drive a gasoline powered car, your tax dollars further empower those dictators.

And no, we don't have enough domestic oil in this country so the "drill more" strategy will not work.

A large amount of our oil comes from Canada (about 25% of imported oil)and more could, PLUS we could drill more, so we could be easily independent of sources of oil from countries "run by dictators" despite what Liberal Canadians may say about Stephan Harper. But Obama just nixed the pipeline from Canada to the US and 200,000 jobs along with it.

we need to stop with this tactical BS and go for an energy strategy that includes ALL sources of energy. We need to be ENERGY independent, not "oil" independent. We also can buy directly from democratic countries like Canada rather than from the "world supply" by using a direct pipeline and we need to start thinking what is best for our country to progress ad be the world leader of...everything. The rest of this is just using us as political pawns.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

That's just factually incorrect. Natural gas is plentiful AND getting easier, not harder, to obtain. Natural gas prices are the lowest they have been in years. The prices are so low and natural gas so oversupplied that most US shale gas leaseholders and producers are sitting on their proven undeveloped reserves, shutting in wells or not drilling them at all.

How can it be getting "easier" if the wells have to be deeper and located in less human friendly locations? The technology has improved to access natural gas that was not obtainable before, because the easily obtainable stuff has already been consumed.

The prices are low compared to early 2008, perhaps due to a decline in consumption? Maybe the current economic situation might be a cause? Even so, Natural Gas prices are still double what they were 20 years ago, and historically, the cost has continued to increase.

[mawilson 2,133]

How can it be getting "easier" if the wells have to be deeper and located in less human friendly locations?

New drilling techniques.

[mawilson 2,133]

The prices are low compared to early 2008, perhaps due to a decline in consumption? Maybe the current economic situation might be a cause? Even so, Natural Gas prices are still double what they were 20 years ago, and historically, the cost has continued to increase.

Double?? Natural gas was about 3 bucks 20 years ago and $3.60 today. Adjust that for inflation, report back.

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

A large amount of our oil comes from Canada (about 25% of imported oil)and more could, PLUS we could drill more, so we could be easily independent of sources of oil from countries "run by dictators" despite what Liberal Canadians may say about Stephan Harper. But Obama just nixed the pipeline from Canada to the US and 200,000 jobs along with it.

we need to stop with this tactical BS and go for an energy strategy that includes ALL sources of energy. We need to be ENERGY independent, not "oil" independent. We also can buy directly from democratic countries like Canada rather than from the "world supply" by using a direct pipeline and we need to start thinking what is best for our country to progress ad be the world leader of...everything. The rest of this is just using us as political pawns.

The route wasn't approved. I imagine at best this is a one year delay.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Double?? Natural gas was about 3 bucks 20 years ago and $3.60 today. Adjust that for inflation, report back.

It was under $2 in 1990 and just under $4 today.

http://www.tradingeconomics.com/commodity/natural-gas