My home electric bill has basically doubled in the past 4 months! WTF is going on?

[Baja Lightning]

Apologies upfront,

When Tesla EV’s just started to take off I said to my wife. We all complain about fuel going up, wonder how long before that is replaced by people complaining about power prices going up….and here it is.
….too funny

My advice,
I suspect everything is about to rock upwards, for a multitude of reasons….get to a point of resource independence. Solar is an easy one, next would be water….
(No I don’t wear a tinfoil hat…but it’s almost comical to predict this stuff)

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[ClevelandBeemer]

I live in Northeast Ohio and my electric bill while owning my Lightning for the last 30 months has ALWAYS been right around 140 dollars. During the scalding hot summer months with the central AC running constant, the bill was always no more than $180-$200, and all of this is with sometimes heavy charging of the Lightning.

Now I'm paying over 300 dollars, and it seems that every month it keeps going up. We've been using measures to lessen our electric usage and it's still going higher. They're blaming all the AI data centers, but why do we have to pay for that sh!t?

It's going to get to point where ICE vehicles and going to be more economical.

OK, end of rant... for now.

Look at your bill detail and remove the truck from it. I highly suspect you’d be paying $250+. First Energy raised rates for EVERYONE in June. This is the result in their making several deals to supply generation to AI data centers, and we the residential customers are subsidizing their cost.

On the bring side, your electricity is still cheaper than fuel.

 

[Grumpy2]

There is a complex cost relationship between utility provided intermittent renewable energy generation and the need for utility natural gas (generally) equivalent dispatch-able power generation for when the renewable sources fail to shine or blow.

Isn't it greater utility battery storage the only/best answer to this issue?

 

[JvdMaat]

Now I'm paying over 300 dollars, and it seems that every month it keeps going up. We've been using measures to lessen our electric usage and it's still going higher. They're blaming all the AI data centers, but why do we have to pay for that sh!t?

I would love to only pay $300. I have solar (10MWh per year), and the past 3 months I've been getting a $10 credit on average every month. Just about breaking even. And in the winter I'll be paying $600-$900 a month. (Rates will be around $0.35/kWh)

It's going to get to point where ICE vehicles and going to be more economical.

It depends on where you are. In the northeast ICE is already more economical. (Even accounting for maintenance costs )
We're not driving this to save costs. We're driving this because it is a great drive, and it's overall better for the world long term.

 

[WXman]

I live in Northeast Ohio and my electric bill while owning my Lightning for the last 30 months has ALWAYS been right around 140 dollars. During the scalding hot summer months with the central AC running constant, the bill was always no more than $180-$200, and all of this is with sometimes heavy charging of the Lightning.

Now I'm paying over 300 dollars, and it seems that every month it keeps going up. We've been using measures to lessen our electric usage and it's still going higher. They're blaming all the AI data centers, but why do we have to pay for that sh!t?

It's going to get to point where ICE vehicles and going to be more economical.

OK, end of rant... for now.

I live in Kentucky, so not that far from you.

In August my bill was $236 with an average ambient temp of 80F.

In September, with my new Lightning all month, and an average ambient temp of 75F my bill is $207.

At $0.13 per kWh, and only 100 kWh of electricity to "fill up" the truck a few times per month, I would expect very minimal changes to monthly utility costs. If your bill "doubled" then you've got some other problem going on that you need to discuss with an electrician and your utility company.

 

[Lightning Rod]

You have until the end of the year to break ground on solar and qualify for the federal tax incentives. Rate hikes are only going to get worse. Coal and natural gas don’t pay for the utilities and society has turned against large scale wind, solar, and nuclear. Demand is rising and supply is stagnant. It’s produce your own or pay.

I'm way ahead of you. We deposited 9K in mid August and construction on our 24 panel home solar energy system is supposed to be completed before end of October. The installer company Yellowlite seems to be dragging ass a little, but they did say that they are really busy because everyone in the area is rushing to get solar installed before the year ends. According to Yellowlite and my past electric usage, my setup is supposed to yield us all of our electricity usage and a small surplus that my electric company will pay me for. This will take place in the sunny months of April thru September if I recall correctly. The other months, my system is supposed to cover i think he said about 80 something percent of my electrical needs. We will also qualify for the 30 percent tax credit.

I cant wait because I can't imagine having to pay these outrageous rates in the future.

 

[ElectrifyingMe25]

I live in Northeast Ohio and my electric bill while owning my Lightning for the last 30 months has ALWAYS been right around 140 dollars. During the scalding hot summer months with the central AC running constant, the bill was always no more than $180-$200, and all of this is with sometimes heavy charging of the Lightning.

Now I'm paying over 300 dollars, and it seems that every month it keeps going up. We've been using measures to lessen our electric usage and it's still going higher. They're blaming all the AI data centers, but why do we have to pay for that sh!t?

It's going to get to point where ICE vehicles and going to be more economical.

OK, end of rant... for now.

Install solar panels. As many as you can. Also, store enough juice in LFP batteries to charge your vehicle. Run your house on solar using a Sol-Ark 15Kw. Thank me later.

 

[EFG]

Isn't it greater utility battery storage the only/best answer to this issue?

It's another choice that can be made, I wouldn't agree it is a good financial one or maybe even an environmental one. The cost of a large BESS (Battery Energy Storage System) at utility scale is immense but declining AND it is just another source of intermittent power. You still need something to get you through the late evening and overnight or worse. So gas or similar peaker plants are still required. Most of these large scale BESS systems are designed with 4 hours or less discharge windows.

Also ask the neighbors of the giant battery fire at the Moss Landing facility in California earlier this year and the utilities impacted. They will be dealing with the fallout of that for some time. Those systems were from LG Energy if I remember correctly, the same company that provides battery technology to GM and some others. Ford is in bed with SK Energy, also from South Korea. The Tesla BESS at Moss Landing was unaffected but represented just 20% of the battery storage.

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/moss-landing-fire-battery-storage-industry-lithium/741283/

 

[MountainAlive]

I never realized until I got an EV how wildly different electric costs are throughout the US. As a MA resident paying 0.36 my jaw would drop when I heard about people paying $0.08. I guess it’s just going to keep going up everywhere. I wouldn’t be surprised to see $1.00 kWh rates in the northeast 10 years from now.

 

[msdickerson]

I live in Northeast Ohio and my electric bill while owning my Lightning for the last 30 months has ALWAYS been right around 140 dollars. During the scalding hot summer months with the central AC running constant, the bill was always no more than $180-$200, and all of this is with sometimes heavy charging of the Lightning.

Now I'm paying over 300 dollars, and it seems that every month it keeps going up. We've been using measures to lessen our electric usage and it's still going higher. They're blaming all the AI data centers, but why do we have to pay for that sh!t?

It's going to get to point where ICE vehicles and going to be more economical.

OK, end of rant... for now.

Rants are okay, but supply real info. This math is simple. How many miles did you do in the same period, how many kwhs does the app say you charged with, what is your total per kwh power rate, and presto you will get 2 things out of those numbers, 1 your average miles per kwh, and the cost it was to charge those kwhs in your truck.

 

[chl]

when I was the Mayor of our small home town for a while, and we have our own electrical system, and bill our residents directly from City Hall, I had many instances where residents would come busting in the door, demanding that we had overcharged them, and must have a special 'button' to do so... what?

in most cases, it was generally due to their own misuse of electrical power, leaving the front door open, while running the a/c 24/7... etc. No, we have no 'magic button' to charge you more, Mr/Mrs Resident - it's all due to YOUR usage. We only charge for the kwh of used power.

many would also argue that the 'other' utility provider was 'much cheaper', although they had no data to back that up, and, frankly, our k/ph rate was lower, they would insist that 'they' knew better.
Yes, it's hard to 'compare' utility cost, from one provider to another, without being able to see both bills for EXACTLY the same home, for the same month, for the same exact usage. I'll bet that they would not be satisfied with the other provider, either. But, there is no satisfying some people, no matter how hard and well you try.

we had others who demanded that 'we', the city, were overcharging them for water. When the water department checked the resident's meter at the street, the meter would be turning, although no water was being used within the home, at least that they were aware of. Come to find out, the home had a leak, a leaking toilet, a broken water line between the city's meter and the home, etc. Convincing the resident, then, that it was up to them to 'repair' the issue was a hard sell, no matter how much of the responsibility fell on their own shoulders.

As to ELECTRICITY Billing, though, it can be more of mystery, as most of us never look at our meter, or make a note of the 'starting' and 'ending' KWH usage, to compare to our next bill.
I find that my new local EMC's billing is simple. KWH usage x the KW rate, plus taxes.
But, my former utility, GEORGIA POWER, was not so much. I would take the same calculation, and come up with a figure that was just over 1/2 of the bill.... what? Even including all taxes, fees, and known additional charges, I would NEVER arrive at the HIGHER billing amount.
I called. Customer said "well, we have other charges that are not shown on the bill"... WHAT??
She said that there were additional charges that were not required to be shown, but could NOT tell me why, what they were for... nothing. I found that LUDICROUS, and even emailed the PSC, the Public Service Commission, in Georgia, who has jurisdiction over public utilities.... and never heard anything back.


Why is your 'bill' now much higher than before, or than you expect? There are just too many variables and factors to help you. Unless someone else in your same utility has a similar situation, or complaint, to compare, it's hard to know if it's your USAGE, or the utility RATE changing, etc.
You need to compare your former bills to your latest one.
It could also be other NEW fees, yes, but, as of yet, there is no such thing as a 'data center' fee, just because the utility might be expanding equipment to supply them.

Some utility RATE plans may also increase the RATE once you EXCEED a certain base usage.

Georgia Power here, is expanding, to supply the LARGEST DATA CENTER in the country - QTS.
I'm glad I'm with the local EMC, instead... just in case.

Technically, a kWh is energy (power x time). But yes if their usage (power) is the culprit, that's on them.

However I think the OP is saying that the rate per unit of energy (kWh) plus all the add-ons (distribution, fuel, etc) has gone up recently.

Econ 101 tells us the price is going to be tied to the supply and the demand.
When the supply (amount of energy the utility is producing) stays the same but the demand goes up (recently due to the huge energy demands of large scale AI data centers), the price will follow.

Government regulators of public utilities, appointed by politicians or elected in some states, will set limits, but as we all know, we have the best politicians money can buy and the utilities have plenty of lobbyists and make plenty of campaign contributions to get their way.

Some countries have state run utilities, maybe like your little town. Some may be well run others not so much. In those cases taxes as well as rates pay for utility needs like expansion, repair, fuel costs etc.

Perhaps the companies putting in AI data centers ought to be required to pay for the building of new electric generation facilities that can cover their energy needs before they begin operation?
And/or subsidize the local community for the increase in electricity rates they cause?

They are flush with money.

What we need are elected officials that will make those kinds of demands of them.

The trend doesn't look good right now for the ordinary energy consumer.

If you can install solar, it seems to me to be a good idea. I'd have to cut down a lot of trees to have enough solar irradiance to make it worthwhile, including my neighbors trees (ha ha).

 

[MaintGrl]

So other people can get rich without actually providing any useful input to society.

It's a scam, they had to pivot to something else after the cryptocurrency scam attempt failed.

Thank you!

 

[flux capacitor]

If you are really concerned make a spreadsheet and keep track record of your actual kwh you charge with mileage. I have own mine just over 2 yrs and put on about 10k-11k a year and both years has been under $800 for the whole year spent on charging. Show me any ICE 4x4 full size truck that you can drive for that.

 

[MaintGrl]

I would love to only pay $300. I have solar (10MWh per year), and the past 3 months I've been getting a $10 credit on average every month. Just about breaking even. And in the winter I'll be paying $600-$900 a month. (Rates will be around $0.35/kWh)

It depends on where you are. In the northeast ICE is already more economical. (Even accounting for maintenance costs )
We're not driving this to save costs. We're driving this because it is a great drive, and it's overall better for the world long term.

Please come to California, land of milk & Honey .. . . .AND $.51 A kWh electricity. I got my lightning NOT because it was cheaper to operate, because it's a wash (Not including maintenance) but it was Electric, and better for the planet. Fortunately my 8kw solar system is paying for itself...

 

[RLXXI]

So other people can get rich without actually providing any useful input to society.

It's a scam, they had to pivot to something else after the cryptocurrency scam attempt failed.

I made good money on crypto using my gaming pc for many a year. No scam to it.

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