Power Bills, Shortages

* Let me see if I understand Peter Asmus’ argument (“Don’t Let Lawmakers Pull Deregulation Plug,” Commentary, July 31): The solution to the skyrocketing electricity bills in San Diego is to invest in “time-of-use meters” so that we will get better “price signals” and use energy more efficiently. I may know that electricity will be cheaper in the evening, but it would be inane to turn on the air conditioner then when it is cooler, rather than during the day when temperatures warrant it. Most high-end electricity use is not parallel to calling people on the telephone, which, in many cases, can be made at off-peak times without difficulty or stupidity.

Happily for most San Diegans, cool breezes and marine layers mitigate the heat, but there are times that my elderly father sits in a stifling, hot house without turning on the air conditioner because of his outrageously high electricity bill that doubled to $150 in a month (without using the air conditioner). How many elderly people on fixed incomes will suffer or die responding to “price signals” produced by a company that holds the city hostage to its profits?

NANCY FITCH

Brea

*

* A unanimous California Legislature deregulated our electric utility industry, resulting initially in doubling of bills in San Diego and southern Orange counties. Asmus opposes re-regulation because if (1) ratepayers invest heavily in energy-efficient appliances and if (2) they refrain, say, from using their air conditioners when it is hot, “we would be paying bills the same or lower than” before.

In other words, we would pay no more for less. This is progress?

VOLNEY V. BROWN JR.

Dana Point

*

* I am one of those people who subscribed to Southern California Edison’s request to help during heavy power load times. My air conditioner has been under the control of SCE ever since the program started. The rules in the beginning were that they could cut off the power to our air conditioner for not more than 15 minutes in an hour (i.e. five minutes every 20 minutes). Recently I read the material I received from SCE and found that they can turn us off for the working day but not weekends.

After my experience this week of living most of the day without cooling, I don’t think it is worth it to continue on the program. I feel that they are using us and that they just don’t want to buy extra power off the grid. To top it off, we on this program are no longer getting the full amount promised. Ever since the 10% rebate on electricity, they have been reducing our usage cost by the special payment and then applying the 10%. This means that our rebate is also reduced.

Check your bills and see how much money you are losing as well as the inconvenience. Write the PUC about the unfairness of this calculation. Calling SCE did not do any good.

JOANNE WILNER

West Covina