Electric Rates

I can’t believe the governor would propose a flat charge for electricity in San Diego at a time of electricity shortages. Doesn’t he know that flat-charge plans always result in increased utility usage? If your bill is the same regardless of how much electricity you use, there is absolutely no incentive to conserve.

The only rational approach is to switch to demand pricing with new meters that charge higher rates for use at peak times and provide discounts for use at off-peak hours.

It is also true that the only extra cost for generating electricity at peak times is the higher cost of using less efficient plants called into service at those times. Those extra costs are small compared to the large increase in the rates charged for electricity; someone is clearly gouging.

JACK CRAWFORD

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