[Iris7]

Those electrical supply prices you complain about are about normal with the current natural gas prices. The previous price of five cents per kilowatt hour is too low to buy the natural gas to fuel the turbines, much less do any maintenance or pay salaries during the last eighteen months.

The seven and a half cent rate is also too low to cover expenses when burning natural gas at present prices.

The utilities must be borrowing to cover operating expenses during the recent period of very low interest rates. Borrowing has likely exceeded revenue from electricity sales, and will have to be paid off with higher rates down the road.

Wintertime electricity when the peaking plants, that are natural gas or oil fired, are not in service, electricity costs $0.07 per kilowatt hour around here. This number would be much worse except for a nuclear plant that supplies 70% of our power.

[SheLion]

Wintertime electricity when the peaking plants, that are natural gas or oil fired, are not in service, electricity costs $0.07 per kilowatt hour around here. This number would be much worse except for a nuclear plant that supplies 70% of our power.

Southern Maine has a nuclear power plant, but they closed it. At least, last I heard it was closed.