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Tuesday, June 19, 2012 | 4:11 p.m.
CARSON CITY — NV Energy is proposing to raise its rates by 1.8 percent and imposing a fee for removing smart meters, angering some customers.
“Our electric rates are the second highest among the seven western states,” said Michael Hazard of Las Vegas. “I’m opposed to any new fee.”
His sentiment was expressed by more than 20 speakers at a prehearing conference by the state Public Utility Commission on Tuesday.
NV Energy has filed an application to charge customers $100 to remove the smart meter and replace it with an electric digital meter, according to the state Bureau of Consumer Protection. There also would be an $11 monthly fee to read the digital meters.
NV Energy already has installed the smart meters in Clark County and they also are being installed in businesses and homes in Northern Nevada.
“We are forced to use NV Energy” because of its monopoly status, said Rita Hickey of Las Vegas. “They are forcing is to use smart meters or pay a fine.”
She said the utility should give customers a choice of which meter they want without imposing a charge.
NV Energy has also petitioned the PUC to increase rates to offset higher costs in 2011 for fuel and purchased power.
In the Las Vegas area, the average monthly residential bill would rise $2.58, or 1.83 percent. In Northern Nevada, electric bills would drop 1.1 percent.
NV Energy always has several rate increase requests working at the same time. It confuses everyone and insures that they get some if not all. Definitely a devious way to do business. They are a monopoly, we need competition.
Everywhere I've seen co-ops, they've been the best deal around as they buy from the lowest producer for their members, even across state or regional boundaries.
Aside from the potential health risks, the reason I don't want a smart meter is because it will eventually lead to NV Energy charging higher rates during certain times of the day (eg from 11am to 7pm in the summer). That is the REAL reason behind the smart meters. That would be wrong.
I am just wondering how we are getting a rate increase request when the majority of nvenergy uses natural gas and its at record lows ( the coal plants aren't running because gas is so cheap I think ). They don't pay for just a couple of meter readers and save fuel cost associated , cut staffing for the reduce growth and aren't putting out the infrastructure for that growth. reduced employee benifits, they have already got their rate increase for the new power plant so how can they ask forr more money. Do the executive need more cash flow to fund thier bonuses :)
I am confused by all the NV Energy strategies.
They bUy power for other companies. They want money to build lines to sell power to other states. Why can't we produce power in and for NV?
Why did our legislature push through a bill written by NV Energy that allowed them to be reimbursed for any loss of profit derived by saving energy? That is getting paid for nothing.
Could Henderson drop out of NV Power and contract with another provider like Boulder City did?
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@Bob_Realist, I take your comment as sarcasm.
Correction:
They [buy power from] other companies. They want money to build lines to sell power to other states. Why can't we produce power in and for NV?
Comment removed by moderator. ALL CAPS