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Just in the first year, the county expects to save taxpayers $123,000. That’s a substantial amount. The savings was accomplished by slowing withdrawing from a pool of governmental entities that buy their power at discounted rates.
Instead, the county entered into a contract with World Energy Solutions Inc., a company that bids for the most economic retail provider for its clients. The rate the county got was 8.2 cents per kilowatt hour, not including distribution and other fees. The rate is the same rate the county got five years ago, which is a sign the county was spending too much money at that time.
The county and Commissioner Kevin Janak should be congratulated for being good stewards.
We can be good stewards overseeing our own electric costs, too. By doing so, we can help to decrease costs across the board.
After deregulation of electricity companies in 2002, many people began to think that during regualtion companies had cheaper costs and fees. However, that may be because most electricity customers had not shopped for the lowest prices.
If more electricity consumers shopped, it would help to drive prices down.
One place to shop is online: www.powertochoose.org/ — type in your ZIP code and find the deals available where you live. You might be surprised how much money you can save. The Web site is touted as being the official electric-choice Web site of the Public Utility Commission.
We can all be good stewards of electricity rates by shopping. And, when we do, it helps keep the price we pay lower.
This editorial reflects the views of the Victoria Advocate’s editorial board.