Should cost for restoring power be passed on to the consumers?
By worldwise1
@worldwise1 (14885)
United States
September 22, 2008 5:43am CST
As some of you know I posted a discussion last week regarding the huge power outage in our area following Hurricane Ike. It is now a week later and an estimated 38,000 are still without power. Some are even protesting against the power company. My real reason for this discussion theough comes from hearing the news that the costs of repairs and restoration of service will probably be passed on to the customers. I have a problem with this since 1. The damages were directly due to damage from the storm, an act of God, and 2. Ohio Governor Ted Strickland has requested $7 million in aid from the government. Where would this $7 million be spent if the customers have to pay for repairing the damage? Do you think it is fair that the customers be billed for these repairs?
1 person likes this
3 responses
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
22 Sep 08
Good question, did they approve Gov. Stricklands request? If so, then we should not, but if the request was turned down, I guess someone has to pay, though I am sure the power company gets enough to cover the costs, or at least most of it..
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
23 Sep 08
I'm pretty sure that the funds will be granted, carmelanirel, because we all know how readily the government hands out money. DP&L has been gouging the customers for decades and it's a shame they don't have an alternative source of power in the area.
1 person likes this
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
23 Sep 08
I hope so..As for an alternate source of power, DP&L probably won't allow it..My husband and I make jokes because he has this idea of an alternate source, (I believe he has something here, but without time and funds, he can't test it), and we say that DP&L would either buy him out of kill him because they have so much control..
@jeweledbluerose (3061)
• United States
22 Sep 08
I would be seriously ticked if my power company tried that sort of tactics on me. Though I do understand that such repairs are costly, it's not the customer's fault that lines and poles were damaged. Customers cannot control the weather, so I do not think that the utility company should be trying to bill their customers for what needs to be repaired.
Now I could see if like your whole town went on a riot for some reason and caused the damage, but Hurricane Ike is completely out of your hands. There is no need for that $7 million if they go the way of charging their customers for the repairs that need to be made, I think it's just a ploy to suck that much more money out of the citizens.
1 person likes this
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
23 Sep 08
You are so right, jeweled! It seems these big companies never get tired of gouging the public while they are reaping all the benefits. Many people have become frustrated and started to protest the delay in getting their power restored here. My granddaughter's power was just restored yesterday.
@jeweledbluerose (3061)
• United States
23 Sep 08
With as much as the electric companies charge, one would think that electric companies would have a surplus of funds to cover repairs such as major damage from severe weather. The sad thing is most will charge anything to their customers cause they know that if they are sole provider of electric, customers have no choice but to stick with them or do without electric all together.
Just last month KU (the company I go through) raised their rates again, so now my family and I are paying close to $300.00 electric bill. Can only imagine what other families around my area are paying, cause there are several that love to leave their porch lights on night and day. If it was just my husband and I, I'd tell them where to stick, since we could live without electric until the rates went back down again (fat chance of that though), but I have my kids and animals to think of to, so pretty much stuck paying the price KU is charging.
It's sad that these companies are treating people this way, especially at a time when people's budgets are already stretched to their limits. I hope soon everyone in your area has their power restored.
Thanks for BR! 
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
22 Sep 08
I don't know how they can even come close to getting that much out of us. I think they should find other ways of coming up with the money, like taking it out of some of the profits they have gotten in the past. This does not happen all the time, and we did not do this. I think they will have a hard time getting that much out of people. We are already barely making our bills.
1 person likes this
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
23 Sep 08
I agree, Thoroughrob. They have always managed to maintain huge profit margins even while others are suffering.
