Off grid but still receive a utility bill

kendive · Dec 1, 2023

Farm Boy said:
In my area of OH, they have a grid tie program. I chose not to be part of it. I have electric utility at my place. My solar set up is separate from the utility. The last few months I've been able to use zero KWH grid utility use, but continue to receive a utility bill. It shows on the bill 0 kwh but charged $12.32 each month. They call this a "Line Distribution Charge". So, I have no desire to have my line cut at the road because you just never know who may need the convenience of the grid. I figure it is costing me .41 cents a day to keep my utility. I am posting this to see if this is customary across the country or may be I'm in a lucky state not being charged even more or less depending on others.

$12.32 is pretty cheap.

Here in FL with FPL former Gulf Power are connection or meter fee is 26.98 a month, but I am grid tied net metering and we sell back to them. I get enough credit in Jan to cover the meter fee for the year so technically we get no electric bill at all.

400bird · Dec 1, 2023

glandpuck said:
It's higher in California.

Based on my experience and comments here, this is false. I have a $10-12 minimum charge, but if I use more than that in electricity I just pay for the juice not grid connection plus juice. The numbers for Ohio (edit: not Ohio, but there were multiple $20-30 states) below are significantly higher.

glandpuck said:
It is my understanding that the utility is responsible for the lines up to and into the meter.

Is it different in other states? Interesting, I thought that was standard everywhere.

hwy17 · Dec 1, 2023

PG&E overhead service drops are PG&E's up until the weatherhead splice, the wires down the weatherhead to the meter are customer's.

400bird · Dec 1, 2023

hwy17 said:
PG&E overhead service drops are PG&E's up until the weatherhead splice, the wires down the weatherhead to the meter are customer's.

Oh, good point. I had to install wires in the mast and leave them hanging out the weather head for PGE to connect to. Thanks for the correction.

Where's the line for underground service?

nc73 · Dec 1, 2023

I'm in Ohio it's 8 bucks if I don't use any grid.

Nobodybusiness · Dec 1, 2023

Farm Boy said:
In my area of OH, they have a grid tie program. I chose not to be part of it. I have electric utility at my place. My solar set up is separate from the utility. The last few months I've been able to use zero KWH grid utility use, but continue to receive a utility bill. It shows on the bill 0 kwh but charged $12.32 each month. They call this a "Line Distribution Charge". So, I have no desire to have my line cut at the road because you just never know who may need the convenience of the grid. I figure it is costing me .41 cents a day to keep my utility. I am posting this to see if this is customary across the country or may be I'm in a lucky state not being charged even more or less depending on others.

Our basic monthly connect fee is $45 month just to have grid available. No usage included.

rhino · Dec 1, 2023

Farm Boy said:
So, I have no desire to have my line cut at the road because you just never know who may need the convenience of the grid. I figure it is costing me .41 cents a day to keep my utility. I am posting this to see if this is customary across the country or may be I'm in a lucky state not being charged even more or less depending on others.

Can't you just have the meter pulled? You'd still have the lines but then no monthly charge.

hwy17 · Dec 1, 2023

400bird said:
Where's the line for underground service?

Yeah idk about that, but I know those get expensive to work on!

RV10flyer · Dec 1, 2023

I ask the power company to turn the power off from their office. $0 for the last 20 months. If I croak and wife needs the grid, one phone call, $40 turn-on fee, move the manual 200A xfer switch handle up and she’s back on the grid.

Farm Boy · Dec 1, 2023

kendive said:
$12.32 is pretty cheap.

Here in FL with FPL former Gulf Power are connection or meter fee is 26.98 a month, but I am grid tied net metering and we sell back to them. I get enough credit in Jan to cover the meter fee for the year so technically we get no electric bill at all.

rhino said:
Can't you just have the meter pulled? You'd still have the lines but then no monthly charge.

When the utility installed the new "smart Meter" last winter, they told me if I went on a long vacation they have the ability to shut my service off if I'd like. So there is some other options.

dougbert · Dec 1, 2023

SUMMER RATE		Bought	Generated
june 2023 bill	Peak kwh	0	1129.31
	Off-peak kwh	0
Peak	kwh cost	0.20376
Off-Peak	kwh cost	0.10055
	Elec cost	$0.0000	$113.55
	HLP Fee	$16.9000
Taxes	Total Cost	$16.9000	$130.45
0.01987	UT Tax	$0.3358	$2.59
0.00248	Wasco Tax	$0.0419	$0.32
0.00993	Heber Tax	$0.1678	$1.30
0.00246	Trans Tax	$0.0416	$0.01
0.05999	Fran tax	$1.0138	$7.83
0.00302	Hwy Tax	$0.0510	$0.39
	Total Taxes	$1.6009	$12.04
	Total Bill	$18.5009	$142.50

no NET Metering
connect fee is $16.90 plus taxes on THAT
no grid power used, bill $18.5
generated myself, cost would be $142.50
saved $124 for that month
TOU rate

Quattrohead · Dec 2, 2023

400bird said:
Where's the line for underground service?

For us I think it is a new termination box they install next to the meter.

We got converted from overhead to underground by FPL. They ran new lines into a box, then into the meter.
They took the weather head off but left the pole sticking out through the shingles and capped it. Fugly.

B-Mod · Dec 2, 2023

My utility charges close to $30 per month for a connection fee, and all the other associated fees (poor people fees). I had them disconnect me over the phone.

I still have wires and a meter. If in the first 12 months after disconnection I need them to turn it back on, I need to pay all monthly charges from disconnection date to turn back on date, after 12 months of disconnection they will come take out their meter.

So if after 12 months, I will not have to pay back connection fees anymore, but then I must pay a re-connection fee. They will get you one way or the other......

B-Mod · Dec 2, 2023

McKravitts · Dec 2, 2023

Wakintx said:
Think about it. It cost money for the utility or the power distribution people to put in all of those poles all of that wire all over the neighborhoods.

They're going to need to recoup that infrastructure cost

Most utilities companies are llowed to charge an "infrastructure" cost as well as a "connection" fee.
For example, in my neighborhood DTE ran a natural gas line, The Public service commission allowed them to charge $5,000 per household.
It is payable as $50.00 per month over 10 years. That includes interest of course, and the balance is amortized down with each payment. After 10 years there is no hook up fee.
With this added $50.00/month it was and remains cheaper to stick with propane for 10 years.

Hedges · Dec 2, 2023

You don't think they already recouped it decades ago?

And although we pay for the cost of the improvements (sometimes in cash up front, when a transformer is installed to service just our property, like the $150,000 estimate they gave me for a 75 kVA 3-phase transformer), it is depreciated on their books, allowing them to harvest profits - 8% of book value each year.

Did that $50 fee really stop after 10 years? Or did they ask it be extended (not an "increase") after that for some other project? That's what happens to temporary taxes or bridge tolls.

McKravitts · Dec 2, 2023

Hedges said:
Did that $50 fee really stop after 10 years? Or did they ask it be extended (not an "increase") after that for some other project? That's what happens to temporary taxes or bridge tolls.

The 10 year period ends next year so I'll find out then.

Alkaline · Dec 2, 2023

Farm Boy said:
In my area of OH, they have a grid tie program. I chose not to be part of it. I have electric utility at my place. My solar set up is separate from the utility. The last few months I've been able to use zero KWH grid utility use, but continue to receive a utility bill. It shows on the bill 0 kwh but charged $12.32 each month. They call this a "Line Distribution Charge". So, I have no desire to have my line cut at the road because you just never know who may need the convenience of the grid. I figure it is costing me .41 cents a day to keep my utility. I am posting this to see if this is customary across the country or may be I'm in a lucky state not being charged even more or less depending on others.

Try $29.83 from Entergy Texas

Quattrohead · Dec 2, 2023

McKravitts said:
The 10 year period ends next year so I'll find out then.

Ask the users of I90 if the tolls were withdrawn when they were set to expire. Well yes they took out the toll booths and replaced them with an electronic system.

Alkaline · Dec 2, 2023

B-Mod said:
My utility charges close to $30 per month for a connection fee, and all the other associated fees (poor people fees). I had them disconnect me over the phone.

I still have wires and a meter. If in the first 12 months after disconnection I need them to turn it back on, I need to pay all monthly charges from disconnection date to turn back on date, after 12 months of disconnection they will come take out their meter.

So if after 12 months, I will not have to pay back connection fees anymore, but then I must pay a re-connection fee. They will get you one way or the other......

There are cities where you have to pay electric utility even if you have an empty plot of land with nothing on it due to a city ordnance that states the grid must be maintained and everyone must pay. They nab it from you at the time of property taxes.

Off grid but still receive a utility bill

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