this post was submitted on 03 Dec 2024
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292
Australia struggling with oversupply of solar power (www.abc.net.au)
submitted 2 weeks ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 weeks ago (4 children)

Which is so odd to me, because electricity just a couple states over is about 1/3 the cost vs CA. I pay $0.12/kWh in UT, whereas CA pays more like $0.32/kWh.

If we look at solar generation, we're doing pretty well here in Utah vs other states in the US (source). Taking a rough average of that data, here's what the numbers look like:

  • California - 8500 MWh, or ~217 MWh per million people
  • Utah - 650 MWh, or ~203 MWh per million people
  • Texas - 4800 MWh, or about 160 MWh per million people
  • Arizona - 1700 MWh, or about 242 MWh per million people

I just don't understand why California electricity prices are so high. It's not like they're generating a ton more than other states in the area or anything.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding the figures, but the source I quoted didn't say anything about per-capita production, so I think it's total for the state.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I paid $0.52/kWh in California before I moved out of state

Even more with fees tacked on.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 weeks ago

Wow, that's nuts. After all fees, I'm around $0.12-0.13/kWh, and it seems we generate a similar amount of solar.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 weeks ago

California rates are high because everyone has to pay for forest fires. Everyone except shareholders.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

the math aint mathing

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago

What's not mathing?

I pulled population numbers from Wikipedia, so:

  • California - 39.1M
  • Utah - 3.2M
  • Texas - 30.5M
  • Arizona 7.1M

I rounded a little here and there, but that shouldn't change the numbers too significantly.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

California's energy regulator is fully captured by the private companies that "operate" the actual grid companies. Every time someone brings up prices the regulatory board agrees to raise them and let the owners walk away with the extra profit.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago

Our energy provider is private too, though they need to ask the legislature to approve a rate hike.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

And from my understanding, after PG&E was held liable for their electrical lines causing deadly wildfires, they jacked the rates up even higher to cover the settlement costs.