QLD... double digit electricity price increase on the way.

[catsnknots]

between 13% and 23 % increase has been approved. 

There are several reasons but the main reason is the decrease in revenue thanks to solar panels... 

(b) The significant costs that the distributors have incurred in complying with the Queensland
Government’s Solar Bonus Scheme. For example, Energex estimates that 9.2% of its 2013-14
network tariffs relate to the costs of complying with the Solar Bonus Scheme. These costs are
expected to increase significantly in future years and their impact on network tariffs will peak in
2015-16, at which time approximately 29.5% of Energex’s network tariffs will be due to Solar
Bonus Scheme costs;

(d) Additional revenue to make up for under-recovered revenue in earlier years due to lower than
forecast consumption; and

(e) The impact of declining consumption (some part of which is included in the Solar Bonus
Scheme costs above) which means that network charges must increase to recover the allowed
revenue.

This has really cheesed me off.... the poor people, the renters, the people on fixed incomes... all those that were not able to get solar power to help reduce their bills pay even more than ever right now and they are going to be punished again.... 

The Governments that allowed these solar schemes did not think ahead and did not consider the "real battlers" when they designed the programs that they claim to be a huge success. 

Now I do not mind a fair increase to the power companies... Ergon were absolutely amazing in the response during the floods and cyclones... but while a huge part of this increase is due to interference in the supply of electricity via "incentives" from governments I get really cheesed off.  

[sniper_patrol]

Yeah, thanks " Can Do " Newman.

More money for this Liberal lead state government. Consumers become ultra vigilant of their electricity consumption because of costs and Newman increases the costs because we aren't using enough. Ya just can't win. It really is becoming a joke.   

Cuts to jobs, infrastructure, and price hikes in utilities. I don't know why folks are suprised by this announcement.

[azureline**]

that can't be right.....

PREMIER Campbell Newman says the Queensland Government has delivered on its "cost of living relief" election promise

[rabbitearbandicoot]

I want to increase my prices because: 1. there are now too many people who don't buy my stuff. and 2. I had budgeted for $x sales last year and I only got $x/2. It's not fair! I'm going to increase my prices.

how many businesses work on that logic? I would think that there have been many a closed door for the type of business that took that attitude.

Do you want to know my take on this? Well, I'm going to tell you anyway.

The so-called beneficial rules to allow competition in electricity supply so that prices would come down - the wheel fell off that didn't it? Economies of scale. It's far cheaper to run ONE business hierarchy to service XX number of customers than it is to have 4 or more business hierarchies who now have 1/4 of the number of customers each. It's the same in manufacturing ... one factory (with management staff) producing 1,000,000 widgets a year can do so at a lower cost with full time employment for all their staff - compared to 10 factories (with 10 lots of management staff) producing 100,000 widgets a year and having significant down time with staff doing nothing.

This doesn't sound quite like I was trying to get across, but I am sure someone will be able to say it more betterer.

[catsnknots]

How can you blame Newman for this??? 

It was both Labor State and Federal governments that introduced the feed in tariffs and subsided solar that only people with money could afford. 

It created an unfair playing field where those that had money to invest were rewarded with cheap power (in some cases they even get money) whereas the people on low income, renters, fixed income earners now have to pay more for this power... all due to lost revenue that the electricity providers need to make up so that they can 

Any government that introduces a scheme like this shows they are so short sighted and lack any understanding of how a business runs.... 

[vampire-teddy]

well if you can't blame campbell  for this it is the only thing that has been destroyed in Qld that you can't.  he has made a total mess of everything else.  oh except greyhound racing, horse racing and fancy buildings for himself.

[azureline**]

He has fitted a lot in, in a short time.....

[*elizabeths-mum*]

Not only the wealthy got solar panels. Others saw it as a long term investment and sacrificed to save the deposit needed and make the repayments.