<HTML> <HEAD> <TITLE>96 Survey: Highest Electricity Prices in CA, MD, NY, Andrew Sirocchi, Columbia Basin Energy Report</TITLE> </HEAD> <body bgcolor="FFFFFF" text="000000" link="0000FF" vlink="FF0000" alink="0000FF"> <basefont face="Arial, Tahoma, Times New Roman" size="3" color="#000033"> <TABLE border="0" width="100%" cellspacing="0"> <TR align="left" valign="top"> <td><small> <A href="https://sgi25.netservers.net/bluefish.org/thefilm.htm">the film</A><br> <A href="forum.htm">forum</A><br> <A href="library.htm">library</A><br> <A href="tutorial.htm">tutorial</A><br> <A href="contact.htm">contact</A> </small></td> <TD> <A href="economic.htm"><img src="images/economic.gif" border="0" width="110" height="110" align="center" alt="Economic and dam related articles"></a> <TD> <CENTER><FONT FACE="Arial, Helvetica" COLOR="0000FF"> <strong><BIG><H2 align="center">Survey: Highest Electricity Prices
in CA, MD, NY</H2> </BIG></STRONG></FONT><FONT COLOR="FF0000">by Andrew Sirocchi <BR>Columbia Basin Energy Report, June 5, 2007</FONT></CENTER> </TABLE> <HR> <P align="left"> Following a hefty increase of nearly 11 percent in the year ending in April 2006, the average price of electricity for industrial or large commercial entities in the UnitedStates jumped another 4.7 percent over the past year. <p> The annual survey by an independent consulting company, NUS ConsultingGroup of Park Ridge, N.J., found that the average price of electricity in the United States was 9.28 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) as of April 1,2007 compared with 8.86 cents per kWh in April 2006. <p> The survey samples 24 of the largest investor-owned electric companies in the country using an industrial model of monthly usage totaling 450,000 kWh with a monthly demand of 1,000 kW. The survey model also assumes an operating power factor of 85 percent and customer-owned transformation equipment. <p> As with past surveys, the study found customers in the California, Maryland and New York pay some of the highest electricity prices in the country. The top five surveyed utilities in terms of price includedConsolidated Edison (NY) at 18.29 cents/kWh, National Grid (NY) at 14.06 cents/kWh, Baltimore Gas & Electric (MD) at 12.98 cents/kWh, Southern California Edison (CA) at 12.65 cents/kWh, and Pacific Gas & Electric (CA) at 11.45 cents/kWh. <p> The largest price escalation over the past year occurred in Illinois as ComEd industrial customers witnessed their electricity costs increase by 36.1 percent. Other utilities with notable increases included Consolidated Edison (NY) at 25.6 percent, Xcel Energy (MN) at 22.1 percent, Entergy (LA) at 17.5 percent and National Grid (NY) at 16.4 percent. <p> The survey found the lowest priced utilities included Dominion Power (VA) at 5.20 cents/kWh, Duke Power (NC) at 5.28 cents/kWh, Ohio Power at 5.34 cents/kWh, Ameren UE (MO) at 5.46 cents/kWh, and Alabama Power at 6.30 cents/kWh. <p> The largest price decreases over the past year were found with Southern California Edison at 13.3 percent and Public Service Electric & Gas (NJ) at 11.5 percent. <p> As borne out in previous surveys, the highest power prices can be found in those states that have deregulated their retail electricity markets. <p> Considered in the past by many as a means of lowering electricity prices, the central promise of deregulation has yet to be fulfilled for many consumers. <p> "The survey once again reveals that higher energy prices seem to be here to stay," said Richard Soultanian, co-president of the NUS Consulting Group. "Retail deregulation is currently either stalled or ineffective in much of the country and many people are looking for answers to their ever increasing electricity bills." <p> He concluded by saying, "In today's market, consumers must be vigilant in tracking their energy costs or they run the risk of losing their competitive edge." <p> Related Pages:
Annual Electric Utility Report by Energy Information Administration, 1999

<HR> <strong>Andrew Sirocchi</strong><br> <A href="http://www.columbiabasinenergyreport.com/Archives/Unrestricted/217769.aspx"> <I>Survey: Highest Electricity Prices in CA, MD, NY</I></a><BR> <strong>Columbia Basin Energy Report</STRONG>, June 5, 2007 <HR> <P align="center"><CENTER> <BIG><strong>See what you can learn</STRONG></BIG><P> <A href="topic.htm">learn more on topics covered in the film</A><BR> <A href="https://sgi25.netservers.net/bluefish.org/video.htm">see the video</A><BR> <A href="script.htm">read the script</A><BR> <A href="songs.htm">learn the songs</A><BR> <A href="forum.htm">discussion forum</A><BR> <IMG src="salmon_swimming_md_wht.gif" width=150 height=70 alt="salmon animation"> </CENTER> </basefont> </body> </HTML>