Hearing scheduled on proposed NV Energy rate hike

Thursday, Feb. 26, 2009 | 2:03 p.m.

CARSON CITY – The Public Utilities Commission has set an April 6 public hearing on NV Energy’s application to raise electric rates in Southern Nevada by 14.9 percent.

The hearing will be held at the Las Vegas Convention Center at 1 p.m. and may continue for more than one day.

The utility wants to collect $323.8 million more from customers to cover the cost of acquiring the Bighorn Power Plant, constructing the Clark Station Peaking units plus other costs for such things as environmental retrofits.

The $400 million peaking units supply power on short notice, typically on the hottest days of the year when demand peaks to power air conditioners.

The schedule shows the rate for a single family home would rise 18 percent. The rate for a multi-family residential home would rise 17 percent.

The commission will then hold hearings on April 21, May 4 and May 11 at the convention center to examine the reasons given by Nevada Power for its proposed rate increase.

The commission has the power to grant, modify or reject the rate increase.

Discussion: 3 comments so far…

By Babyboomer

2/26/09 at 4:07 p.m.

Suggest removal

ahhhh....and not one dime is going towards pensions???? DA !!
By paplikaplik

2/26/09 at 7:01 p.m.

Suggest removal

I read things like this and wonder if a geothermal pump (perhaps combined with solar energy) would be a good solution to these massive price hikes.

Heating and cooling are probably the biggest energy hogs, so if you can take those off the grid (so to speak), then the impact of the price hike is mitigated.

On the other hand, staying on the grid is still probably more cost effective than installing these systems, at least in the short term.
By MAGSNY1999

2/27/09 at 3:51 a.m.

Suggest removal

There is no reason they cant put a bunch of solar arrays out in the desert. They could do this on the vast areas of land where no one lives anyways. And Wind power? I think some areas of nevada are good for that. And lets not start me up on the water situtation here. We have to scrimp and save every drop of water here in Las vegas 400,000 acre feet of water per yer. WHY CALIFORNIA IS NEXT TO THE OCEAN AND GETS 10 MILLION ACRE FEET OF WATER A YEAR! Something is not right there either. Nevada is sitting on geothermal energy as well. or put a few nuclear reactors out on those test sights.
lets get off this foreign oil and start looking out for our own. GOD BLESS AMERICA

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