The June 30 edition proclaims “Electricity rate hike less shocking.” BPA administrator, Steve Wright announced that the electric rates would probably go up only 46 percent as compared to 250 percent announced earlier. How can a person overestimate by 204 percent if he is in a position of knowing all the facts? He either doesn’t know any of the facts or is incompetent to be running or giving out information on BPA’s ability to produce electrical power.
Under the present contracts, aluminum companies probably make higher profits not running the plants because the BPA can pay them not to use electricity. All the news media write and talk about buying “high priced power” on the open market. Who are these people charging the exorbitant price? They are never named. Do these plants sit idle out in the desert someplace until a shortage appears, then start up the generators when a shortage appears and charge high prices? Of course not. “They” are all ready hooked into the “grid” and “they” just charge the price that the market will bear. I’ll bet you can’t tell me who “they” are.
Will the raise in electrical rates build more generators? Are more transmission lines being built? Has the cost of the water running the generators for BPA increased? Have the employees’ wages increase significantly? The answer is, no!
History will show that this is one on big rip-off. Please inform us who is causing this rate increase. Probably BPA will head the list.
Everett
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