More big energy price increases

[skeptik]

Do they have front rooms in Spain - that sounds so terribly English?


Peter.

Ha! A habit of speech. the room fronts the cul-de-sac outside but is actually at the opposite end to the flat's entrance, which leads out to stairs down to the communal swimming pool... ok call it the living room. A large ceiling fan and a tiny desktop fan sitting on top of my printer makes temperatures in the low 80's quite pleasant.

[RGR]

Gosh, that was a normal, non-confrontational, non-technical, sociable post.

Are you feeling alright RGR? No fever? No cold coming on?

[skeptik]

No. I was just surprised that it was cold enough in England to be firing up the stoves.....I knew you guys had it rainy, but cold too?

Weather in the UK is extremely variable from day to day, week to week, year to year. That's why Brits are always talking about it.

I habitually visit Cornwall in the New Year. Some years it has been so mild that I've walked on the beach wearing only a thin cotton shirt. Other years there has been snow on the ground (not often - snow is a rarity in the West country) , a howling icy gale and full on ski gear has been necessary to prevent hypothermia.

[JohnB]

I must leave my computer alone for a few moments so I can shut the van door, as it's starting to get cold. A couple of days ago it was shut all day as it was so cold and wet.

[Vortex]

Gosh, that was a normal, non-confrontational, non-technical, sociable post.

Are you feeling alright RGR? No fever? No cold coming on?

No. I was just surprised that it was cold enough in England to be firing up the stoves.....I knew you guys had it rainy, but cold too?

Many of our houses are older than the USA (really!) and so are very poorly insulated.

My first house cost virtually nothing because it was in a poor area - and yet it was very similar to those in Beacon Hill, Boston.

[RenewableCandy]

Gosh, that was a normal, non-confrontational, non-technical, sociable post.

Are you feeling alright RGR? No fever? No cold coming on?

No. I was just surprised that it was cold enough in England to be firing up the stoves.....I knew you guys had it rainy, but cold too?

Many of our houses are older than the USA (really!) and so are very poorly insulated.

My first house cost virtually nothing because it was in a poor area - and yet it was very similar to those in Beacon Hill, Boston.

I think you'll find that a lot of houses in the USA are even more poorly-insulated than UK ones! Our (by all accounts fairly typical)
house in Seattle was, for a start.

The reason we're lighting stoves now is not the temperature as such (it's about 60 degF at the mo) but the humidity, which if you're sitting still makes it feel a lot colder than it actually is. Also those of us who use Pulleys (Shiela Maids, whatever) to dry our clothes, need to fend off even more damp.

Technically we have 10 days of summer left. It's been dreadful. And to crown it all, half our city centre's under water (again)!

[RenewableCandy]

I think the rises have been similar in England have they not? Has anyone been keeping track of all the rises?

I have a spreadsheet of weekly energy use (sad or wot??). I put on the prices when I remember. Here they are, in £:

2001 gas 0.01168 Elec. 0.052
2006 gas 0.0217 Elec. 0.1062
2007 gas 0.02638 Elec. 0.08856 (switched supplier by moving house)
2008 gas 0.0307 Elec. 0.1034

Our electricity hasn't gone up much, but we switched from a deep green tariff to a just-moderately-green one.

[emordnilap]

Electricity prices in Ireland were amongst the lowest in Europe until this dreaded 'competition' directive thing came in. In order to make the ESB (Electricity Supply Board) attractive to investors, prices were artificially raised, way beyond those required to run a very efficient industry.

Prior to that, the ESB was doing nicely and making a fair profit which was ploughed back into infrastructure improvements and gave decent wages to its workers; now, people are moaning about the high prices and subsequent unnecessary excess profits, blindly blaming the quite reasonable wages of the workers (which in fairness are higher than the average industrial wage) and clamouring for this so-called 'competition' to be encouraged to 'teach those unions a lesson'.

People, generally, are a bit thick, aren't they?

[skeptik]

My first house cost virtually nothing because it was in a poor area - and yet it was very similar to those in Beacon Hill, Boston.

Interesting snap... looks vaguely European rather than American. Shutters on the windows, narrow cobbled street.. wouldnt have guessed... Only the flag, a very American habit, gives it away.

[Vortex]

Interesting snap... looks vaguely European rather than American.

That's because they were built by new arrivals from Europe.

The oddest thing about the Beacon Hill houses is that they feel that they are out of a sci-fi film ... they all seem a bit 'odd' to a British eye.

I assume that it's because the craftsmen had to use local woods etc.

I also suspect that they messed up the measurements / proportions a bit, because the doors, skirting boards etc all seem built to an odd scale.

If you want to see what a village built by travellers from Earth settling on another planet would look like, then Beacon Hill will give you the idea.

Note: I suppose Beacon Hill residents feel vaguely uncomfortable when visiting Britain!

[Vortex]

Interesting snap

I think it's supposed to be the most photographed street in the US.

[tomhitchman]

Gas 2.86
Electricity 11.37

Rates for Ebico have gone up today, in London these are now (increase):

Gas 3.77 (31.8%)
Electricity 14.62 (28.6%)

Note that these are the same rates whatever your consumption and however you pay.

If you are a very low user then they may be the cheapest.

[aliwood]

If you are a very low user then they may be the cheapest.

We've been with Ebico for years, we currently use about 25 electric and 4 gas units a week and they are consistently the best company, great service as well.