General Electric - grid fees?

I’m genuinely trying to wrap my head around this new surcharge—what exactly are we paying for here? Is it just some extra grid fee??? I mean, come on, I can’t exactly pack up my electricity and carry it home in a suitcase.
I was wondering if anyone else has actually seen their latest bill yet. Specifically, did the total amount drop because of this new fee, or did they just tack that infamous grid charge right on top of everything else? When we were signing those new contracts, they made it sound like our bills would dip by about 5%, but now I'm looking at this thing and the grid fee alone is making up 20% of the whole bill??

Back in the day, you’d pay General Electric about 100 bucks for a single kWh.

Fast forward to now, and you're paying Company A 27 bucks just to generate the power, Company B 42 bucks to move it across the state, and Company C another 36 bucks just to run the lines through your neighborhood.
On top of that, you’re handing Company D—which happens to own Companies A, B, and C—an extra 5 bucks for "renewable energy" (you know, wind, solar, hydro, waves, biomass, tarot cards, and whatever else they feel like charging for).

So, if you’re sitting there wondering why this new setup feels way worse than the old one, honestly, don't look at me... you've gotta look at the math.

Nathan Newman3 said:Back in the day, you’d pay General Electric about 100 bucks for a single kWh.

Fast forward to now, and you're paying Company A 27 bucks just to generate the power, Company B 42 bucks to move it across the state, and Company C another 36 bucks just to run the lines through your neighborhood.
On top of that, you’re handing Company D—which happens to own Companies A, B, and C—an extra 5 bucks for "renewable energy" (you know, wind, solar, hydro, waves, biomass, tarot cards, and whatever else they feel like charging for).

So, if you’re sitting there wondering why this new setup feels way worse than the old one, honestly, don't look at me... you've gotta look at the math.

...if my math isn't off, that brings us to 110 compared to the previous 100—a 10% hike...
.. I fail to see the benefit here...

That’s exactly why I started working on an autonomous power source, but nobody wants to put up the cash to actually finish it. It's a joke. Everyone finds it easier to just pay taxes and various other "fees" than to actually manufacture something using their own damn brains. That's why we're stuck where we are...

slycanyon11 said:That’s exactly why I started working on an autonomous power source, but nobody wants to put up the cash to actually finish it. It's a joke. Everyone finds it easier to just pay taxes and various other "fees" than to actually manufacture something using their own damn brains. That's why we're stuck where we are...

Look, let’s not get sidetracked by talking about manufacturing right now; that isn't really the point here. My actual issue is that I've already received two different electricity bills—and if what you're saying is true, does that mean I'm going to get *two more*? (And let's be clear, I'm talking about the same month!) Where is the logic in that? Even if I just calculate $0.67 based on the meter reading—the difference is already huge.
I don't see any sense in this and I'd love an explanation, provided someone can explain it without making it unnecessarily complicated.
I just don't get why entrepreneurship has to be stifled at every single turn. And why is there a constant push to slap new fees on every little thing?

electrictiger21 said:I’m genuinely trying to wrap my head around this new surcharge—what exactly are we paying for here? Is it just some extra grid fee??? I mean, come on, I can’t exactly pack up my electricity and carry it home in a suitcase.
I was wondering if anyone else has actually seen their latest bill yet. Specifically, did the total amount drop because of this new fee, or did they just tack that infamous grid charge right on top of everything else? When we were signing those new contracts, they made it sound like our bills would dip by about 5%, but now I'm looking at this thing and the grid fee alone is making up 20% of the whole bill??

Just checked my September statement—nothing changed compared to last month. What grid fee are you talking about?
Since I'm on the "Red Entrepreneur" tier (that's the name of the rate plan), my bill shows peak/off-peak usage, demand charges, the monthly service fee, and the renewable energy surcharge...

hollowharbor56 said:...if my math isn't off, that brings us to 110 compared to the previous 100—a 10% hike...
.. I fail to see the benefit here...

You might not see the upside, but General Electric certainly does.

And so does The Government.

Nathan Newman3 said:You might not see the upside, but General Electric certainly does.

And so does The Government.

Sure, General Electric has plenty of lightbulbs to worry about, so they have better vision...

Does anyone actually know what the grid fees look like over at Duke Energy? I’m not even talking about those $7.25 distribution and transmission surcharges we'll be stuck paying them after I switch to a different provider... I've been digging through their rate schedule, but I can't find anything specific on this...

Thanks

slycanyon11 said:That’s exactly why I started working on an autonomous power source, but nobody wants to put up the cash to actually finish it. It's a joke. Everyone finds it easier to just pay taxes and various other "fees" than to actually manufacture something using their own damn brains. That's why we're stuck where we are...

How exactly were you planning on making electricity cheaper than what we get now? 🤔

Charles Ramos7 said:How exactly were you planning on making electricity cheaper than what we get now? 🤔

Solar panels. Everyone’s talking about them like they’re some kind of magic bullet for the energy crisis. It’s all over the news lately—everyone wants to be a green energy pioneer. Honestly? I have my doubts about how much of a game-changer they actually are when you look at the sheer scale of what we need to power the country. Sure, they work, but there's a lot more to the equation than just sticking glass sheets on a roof and calling it a day.

So, I'm looking at the numbers for a solar setup—specifically a 3.6 kW panel array paired with a 4 kW Siliken grid-tie inverter. Just trying to get a handle on what the actual price tag looks like for something like that. $7200
Looks like a bad edit. $2333
Twenty-five years. That’s the lifespan we're looking at here.
Annual production for a 3.6 kW kit? We’re looking at roughly 5,437 kWh per year. Over a 20-year lifespan, that adds up to 108,740 kWh.
108,740 kWh.
Investment. Just one word, but it carries enough weight to sink a ship or build an empire if you aren't careful. It’s easy to get swept up in the hype, chasing the latest shiny object everyone on social media is screaming about, but that's how you end up staring at a crater where your savings used to be. Real investing isn't about luck or catching a lightning bolt in a bottle; it's about discipline, patience, and having the stomach to stay the course when things get ugly. You have to look at the fundamentals. You have to understand what you're actually buying. If you can't explain why a company or an asset holds value in two sentences, you shouldn't be touching it. Period. $9533 And that’s how it turns out. $0.09 The price per kWh is four times cheaper than what you’d pay through Duke Energy. Or, if you want to look at it another way, it’s a few cents cheaper than the electricity coming out of those French nuclear plants after they've been subsidized.

What kind of consumer base are we talking about here—and does this actually offer total energy independence?
For instance, you’re building a house and instead of paying for a standard utility hookup, you just rely on one of these "kits."

Off-topic: I own some land and I'm pretty much certain I can build a tiny passive house—maybe 350 sq ft on the ground floor plus another 350 up top—with solar panels on the roof for both water and electricity. That's why I'm asking: how much actual independence could I realistically achieve with a setup like that? I'd probably still tap into the city water supply just to be safe, though I know I'd likely need a well for things like cooling and whatnot.

wearyotter36 said:What kind of consumer base are we talking about here—and does this actually offer total energy independence?
For instance, you’re building a house and instead of paying for a standard utility hookup, you just rely on one of these "kits."

Off-topic: I own some land and I'm pretty much certain I can build a tiny passive house—maybe 350 sq ft on the ground floor plus another 350 up top—with solar panels on the roof for both water and electricity. That's why I'm asking: how much actual independence could I realistically achieve with a setup like that? I'd probably still tap into the city water supply just to be safe, though I know I'd likely need a well for things like cooling and whatnot.

No, that's a grid-tied kit. You get solar panels and a grid-tie DC/AC inverter. Both are mass-produced items. Off-grid is an entirely different beast and requires a lot more gear.

For true off-grid living, you'll need about 5 kWh of daily consumption
5 kW of solar panels $8333
60A MPPT solar charge controller $1500
3-4 kW DC/AC inverter $1333
600-1000W VT $1333
Batteries: 14.4 kWh if you're on the coast (like 300Ah @ 48V or more), but if you're inland, you'll want 30 kWh or more
Stored energy from $5000
2-4 kW generator from $2333
An AC battery charger between 40 and 100A from $667
If you set it up like that, you'd have massive surpluses in the summer—we're talking a surplus of maybe 25-30 kWh per day.
In the winter, production drops to roughly 5 kWh a day on average, though coastal areas might see about 30% more.

wearytrucker22 said:Solar panels. Everyone’s talking about them like they’re some kind of magic bullet for the energy crisis. It’s all over the news lately—everyone wants to be a green energy pioneer. Honestly? I have my doubts about how much of a game-changer they actually are when you look at the sheer scale of what we need to power the country. Sure, they work, but there's a lot more to the equation than just sticking glass sheets on a roof and calling it a day.

So, I'm looking at the numbers for a solar setup—specifically a 3.6 kW panel array paired with a 4 kW Siliken grid-tie inverter. Just trying to get a handle on what the actual price tag looks like for something like that. $7200
Looks like a bad edit. $2333
Twenty-five years. That’s the lifespan we're looking at here.
Annual production for a 3.6 kW kit? We’re looking at roughly 5,437 kWh per year. Over a 20-year lifespan, that adds up to 108,740 kWh.
108,740 kWh.
Investment. Just one word, but it carries enough weight to sink a ship or build an empire if you aren't careful. It’s easy to get swept up in the hype, chasing the latest shiny object everyone on social media is screaming about, but that's how you end up staring at a crater where your savings used to be. Real investing isn't about luck or catching a lightning bolt in a bottle; it's about discipline, patience, and having the stomach to stay the course when things get ugly. You have to look at the fundamentals. You have to understand what you're actually buying. If you can't explain why a company or an asset holds value in two sentences, you shouldn't be touching it. Period. $9533 And that’s how it turns out. $0.09 The price per kWh is four times cheaper than what you’d pay through Duke Energy. Or, if you want to look at it another way, it’s a few cents cheaper than the electricity coming out of those French nuclear plants after they've been subsidized.

Fair enough. I think slycanyon11 was talking about some kind of DIY production, whatever that implies. 🤷

By the way, looking at your math, I'm assuming this kit is meant for selling power back to the grid—basically gambling that buyback rates stay this high forever.

Charles Ramos7 said:Fair enough. I think slycanyon11 was talking about some kind of DIY production, whatever that implies. 🤷

By the way, looking at your math, I'm assuming this kit is meant for selling power back to the grid—basically gambling that buyback rates stay this high forever.

No, that's not it. I'm talking about grid-scale power plants where the American low-voltage grid acts as a giant battery, and the benchmark price for electricity is simply whatever gets billed to the consumers.

nimbleheron said:Does anyone actually know what the grid fees look like over at Duke Energy? I’m not even talking about those $7.25 distribution and transmission surcharges we'll be stuck paying them after I switch to a different provider... I've been digging through their rate schedule, but I can't find anything specific on this...

Thanks

I'm asking the exact same thing! 🙂 XD I'm guessing it isn't a flat fee—probably depends on which substation I'm hooked up to or something... but can someone give me a ballpark figure? Like, roughly what percentage of my monthly bill will go toward $33 grid usage.

The bill Nathan Newman3 posted doesn't look right...

$0.15/kWh in the summer and $0.07/kWh in the winter