Germany: Hundreds of thousands have no electricity ( Can't afford it.)

thelocal.de ^ | Published: 22 Feb 12 08:18 CET

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Hundreds of thousands of Germans are likely going without power simply because they can’t afford the bills, according to a North Rhine-Westphalian consumer organisation studying the problem.

According to the NRW Consumer Centre, more than 300,000 people in the state were threatened with a power shut-off and 62,000 financially struggling families actually had their electricity shut off in 2010 alone, the last year for which firm statistics are available.

Of the 58 companies the organisation surveyed, three-quarters reported that customers were having problems paying their bills, according to the organisation.

“Price increases of around 15 percent for electricity and gas in the past two years have meant that energy for many households is becoming an unaffordable commodity,” said Consumer Centre head Klaus Müller.

Müller estimated that roughly 120,000 households in North Rhine-Westphalia and 600,000 nationwide are today without power because of bill non-payment.

Under German law, power companies have to take a series of legal steps before cutting off someone’s power, including warning them multiple times. There are also protections making it harder to cut off power to vulnerable people, such as the disabled. But simply being unable or unwilling to pay bills is not a valid excuse.

The Local/DPA/mdm

[mtg]

Isn’t this the country that’s supposed to bail out Greece? Sometimes it not good to be German.

[mortal19440]

What happened to their alternative energy?

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Merkel is reacting...not a direct statement however....thread I posted:

GERMANY PLANS RECORD CUTS IN SOLAR SUBSIDIES TO LIMIT BOOM

[smokingfrog]

What are their electricity rates like?

In the US, I think it’s about 12 cents per kilowatt-hour.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

See #4.

[throwback]

I’m sure it doesn’t have anything to do with subsidized green energy that failed, or that they decided to dump nuclear after Japan. Just can’t wait till Europe gets here.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

In California....rates can go above that.

And are heading higher.

In the East the EPA is busy shutting down Coal powered power plants.

[righttackle44]

Der elektrostromfahrtenstinengetmaker ist zu feuer fur die meisten Krauteneatenfarters.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

H/T to geronl,,,bigbob for pointing out this story.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

fyi

[org.whodat]

La, cost is $.204 per hour.

[GracieOMalley]

Coming to a city or town near you soon.

[GeronL]

BUMP

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Germany is the engine of Europe.....and they are close to some very serious cold winter conditions ....

[mosesdapoet]

Viele Danke for the post

What the story does not go into what caused those rate increases. It does go into slow nat gas deliveries from Russia’s GasProm but that’s it. Sounds like 15% per year increase for the past 2 years .Wonder if it was some form of “Cap N Trade” EPA penaltiy which is what is causing out power proces to go up and up.

[org.whodat]

Found the big stinker, tax on electricity in Germany was 41%.

[Marine_Uncle]

Why doesn’t say Al Gore give them a few million to provide for them to be able to turn on a light during those cold dark winter nights.

[KarlInOhio]

What are their electricity rates like?

Wikipedia (yes, I know the warnings) lists it at 36.48 US cents per kilowatt-hour.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Good Grief!