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Vidalia utility rates to rise?
Published Wednesday, July 9, 2008
VIDALIA — Utilities customers in Vidalia could face higher rates for utility service this summer.
The possible rise in rates could be caused partly because Entergy is granting very few transmission service requests on its system this year, and partly because of rising fuel costs at the time of the summer peak usage, Louisiana Energy and Power Authority General Manager Cordell Grand said in a statement.
The City of Vidalia is a member of LEPA and buys its utility service from the association.
“We are going to be looking at record costs as far as utilities are concerned,” Mayor Hyram Copeland said. “There are problems throughout the industry and not just in Vidalia.”
The city has not raised rates even though it has seen a significant increase in cost, Copeland said.
“When you’re looking at a 30-40 percent increase in our costs, naturally we want to take a look at it and see what we can do about it,” Copeland said.
As long as the cost of crude oil continues to rise, so will the cost of natural gas, he said.
“The cost of natural gas is currently $13 per cubic foot,” Copeland said. “Three years ago it was $6.”
The city is looking to implement what it can from other sources to keep from increasing costs, and it may have seminars at the Vidalia Conference and Convention Center to train the public in energy saving techniques, Copeland said.
Some energy saving tips are:
4Set your thermostat a little higher. During summer months you could save as much as 4 percent off your total utility bill for each degree the thermostat is raised.
4Do only full loads of clothes and dishwashers, and set the clothes washer to use the cold water setting to reduce its energy use by 75 percent.
4Turn off the lights in rooms that are not in use.
4Use natural lighting whenever possible.
4Make sure electronic devices are turned off at the power source instead of on standby. This could save as much as 50 watts a month.
Comments
Posted by lookingout (anonymous) on July 9, 2008 at 12:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)
i saw an increase when i got my light bill this time it doubled and i was not at home but 3 days out of the month i hate to see what it is going to be this month
Posted by Sarge (anonymous) on July 9, 2008 at 1:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I guess that raise the city employees received has to be made up somewhere!
Or I should say,,,,,That humongous raise the Mayor and new Chief just got! The little pions that do all the real work are only getting a 5% raise,,,,,But with the cost of everything going up like it is,,,,,They won't realize a cent out of those raises! The cost of living went up 20% in just the last 2 weeks so that means they are still in the hole by 15%!!!
What happened to the City of Vidalia getting their utilities from the Sidney Murray plant??? As far as I knew the City owned their own utility plant and didn't have to rely on a separate company to buy electricity from!!!
Where does it end???
Posted by crawgator (anonymous) on July 9, 2008 at 7:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Man that hydro plant is really paying off. @%#&$#.
Posted by sidney (anonymous) on July 9, 2008 at 8:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I thought that the hydro plant was operated by the current in the river? If so what does the increase in natural gas have to do with the river flow?
Posted by dovechase (anonymous) on July 9, 2008 at 9:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The mayor lowers the utility prices just before the elections and then raises them as soon as he is sworn in. See a pattern?
Posted by vilou (anonymous) on July 9, 2008 at 9:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Sarge, If you would read the article again you would see the ? mark. The Mayor as I see it said he would look into all sources so they would not be raised. Every ones electricity will be higher because they will be using more because of the heat. I would also like to ask Lookingout how can you see an increase in your bill when the price is still the same. Did you forget to turn off lights and AC when you left?
Posted by lookingout (anonymous) on July 9, 2008 at 9:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
vilou no i turned everything off i left my ac set on 85 but my neighbors bill went from $95 to $277 and they dont use lights unless its dark... dont run air that much.... i know a bunch of people that their light bill at least doubled this month and they arent using no more than normal
Posted by firered (anonymous) on July 9, 2008 at 9:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Sidney,
You didn't know the MS River is fueled by natural gas? That's what keeps the water flowing!! You haven't seen it stop at a nearby truckstop and fuel up? LOL...
Posted by vilou (anonymous) on July 9, 2008 at 10:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Lookingout, there has not been an increase in rates so you and your neighbor should go to city hall and get the ladies to compare your consumption to the same time last year. Dovechaser, please read the article again. The Mayor said he is looking into other sources so they don't have to be raised.
Posted by dovechase (anonymous) on July 9, 2008 at 10:07 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Lookingout, you can call and have them read your meter again. They may have made a mistake. While they are there, get them to show you how to read your meter. That way, you can double check your bill.
Posted by him2her (anonymous) on July 9, 2008 at 10:07 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Sarge, I agree with you completely. It's a crying shame that SOME of the city employees received such a huge raise, some of which had NOT even taken office yet and a few weeks later they are talking about possibly raising utility rates. AGAIN we ask what happened to the hydro plant Mr. Murray worked so hard to establish????? Where are the benefits we as citizens of Vidalia are suppose to receive???
Posted by overthehill60 (anonymous) on July 9, 2008 at 11:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree with everyone about the hydro plant. We were all mislead on that deal!
((firered)) you are mistaken about he river being fueled by natural gas. It runs off of "electricity" that the average & below average peons in Vidalia are are paying an arm and a leg for. Some people that don't live in Vidalia don't realize we can't pay out utilities seperate it all has to be paid the same time which hits the bill fold hard.
As for all the new facilities in Vidalia. No one I know will ever stay in the Comfort Inn, we all know where things are in Vidalia so why a new information center & I would NEVER put any of my relatives in Promise. Who wants their loved ones to take a midnight unsupervised walk beside the river? NOT ME! Of course we have to cater to our beloved Dr. Tillmans & make their lives better & richer.
As for the pay raise to city employees I agree with ((Sarge)). The cost of living is rising everyday & the employees will never see it.
It's been so long since I could afford to go out & eat (gotta save for that utility bill) I doubt I will ever see inside the new Mexican resturant like our new "Tapper The Chief" did. It really makes me sick to see Copeland go to the grocery store & think nothing about dishing out almost $200 for groceries. Sure he can afford his "vegies" because of his health problems, but we hard working utilities payers have to eat what we can afford health problems or not.
Posted by sidney (anonymous) on July 9, 2008 at 12:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Ok seriously, am I wrong in thinking that the "hydro" (meaning water) sits on top of the Mississippi so that the water (hydro) as it passess underneath turns the turbines that generate the electricity? I think that is what or how it was designed? So if any one knows one way or the other if I am correct, please say yes or no.
Second, my May utility bill was higher than my April utility bill with no increase in consumption on my part.
Now if I am some how missing why the price of natural gas would cause the price of operation of a "hydro" plant to increase please some one tell me. But if I am correct in remembering that the whole purpose of the plant originally was to provide a cheaper, constantly being feed by the current of the river, source of power, should not the City be selling any excess power to LPL and generating revenue that way instead of using natural gas as an excuse to raise prices? Why would you need a fuel adjustment factor on a fuel source that is free?
Posted by lad123 (anonymous) on July 9, 2008 at 12:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Rising electric bills, rising food prices, rising gas prices Oh My!. The price of the utilty rates going up is not nor has been a secret. The Sidney Murray Hydro-Electric plant was to prevent this from happening, however, wasn't it sold to LEPA. You look at all the so called industry coming to Vidalia, and now you hear of a tax increase being a possibility, what has happened to all the money that the city of Vidalia has received from the sale/lease of the riverfront. This City has been and is still full of crooks, just as it was back in the early days. You are told 1 thing and then down the road are demanded another, makes you wonder what is happening to the real politics in this town. The utility rates do not have to be raised, just give back the raises that you have given yourself. Hey, Vidalia leadership, why don't you make a sacrifice every now and then and ease the sacrifice pain on the less fortunate. Park those expensive vehicles, save fuel and take a bike to work like the real working people are having to do!!!!!!!
Posted by redusmfan (anonymous) on July 9, 2008 at 12:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The Arab's will not be happy till we are living in tents and riding horses, just like they used to do.
Posted by vtown (anonymous) on July 9, 2008 at 1:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)
the mayor is doing a great job with the city of vidalia. i for one am very proud of my town and the way it is ran,prices are rising all over the country and that does not exclude vidalia its not the mayors fault for the rise in prices of gas, food, electricty and anything else some of you ungrateful people have to complain about. my point is if you dont like the way the mayor is handling things on this side of the bridge you know you can always move to natchez i hear the garden club runs natchez quite well
Posted by EnKiKur (anonymous) on July 9, 2008 at 3:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Hey, vtown- the residential customers are subsidizing Wal-Mart's electricity bill. Four of the Walton's are on the Top 20 of the World's Wealthiest list this year. Fair or not?
What is your opinion on that? For many of our residents an electircal rate increase means hardship of a very real sort, while the Walton's own animals worth more than the median income of Concordia Parish residents. Fair or not?
What is your opinion on this?
Posted by okay (anonymous) on July 9, 2008 at 4:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Maybe if some of you dont like what goes on in Vidalia so much should to move to where you may think is a greener pasture or show you idenity at a town hall meeting to complain instead of on here where it is so easy to do under a phony name.
Posted by EnKiKur (anonymous) on July 9, 2008 at 4:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)
My name is Marty Ellerbe, okay, what is yours? Do you think the people of Vidalia living at poverty level should be subsidizing Wal-Mart's utility bill?
Would you be willing to sign a petition asking Wal-Mart to give back that special rate to help lower electrical bills for the poverty level customers who buy their products?
Posted by peachpit (anonymous) on July 9, 2008 at 5:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Vidalia buys six percent of the Hydro's electricity with an option to buy 15 percent. Link http://accessware.org/Case/LH/LH.htm
Posted by BenWyles (anonymous) on July 9, 2008 at 5:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The hydro plant was subsidized and financed by the people of Vidalia and Concordia Parish WITH the promise of a cheap, renewable source of power for the future. Now, the citizens of Vidalia pay rates for electricity which rank in the very top around the state of LA. The power generated by the hydro plant is sold for a tidy sum without the citizens of this town (except for the few hydro plant executives who happen to live here) reaping a bit of benefit.
Each time this has been brought up in the council meetings the mayor begins a song and dance about how costs continue to rise but always seems to dodge the double-cross aspect of the initial agreement.
I've recently sent a letter to the mayor and board of Aldermen expressing my concern about this AND the raises granted to themselves and a few others. I don't remember a single person running for reelection talking about raises. This was all done AFTER they took the oath of office.
My greatest concern, however, is that NO ONE seems to remember all of this on election day. Sweep things under the rug long enough and I guess anything can be forgotten.
Posted by mskitty (anonymous) on July 9, 2008 at 7:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Ben, I have lived in this area my entire life. Life has improved in Vidalia. The rate increase for employees was well deserved. These city officials have a large responsibility. Just a little note, the mayor cannot vote, this is left up to the alderman. John and Rickie were told they did not have to take the raise, do you think they turned it down? If these two alderman were so against this they could have donated this pay raise to charity. As far as the hydro plant, Sydney Murray cut himself a great deal, he left the city one day, and the next day he went to work for the hydro making a six figure salary. I have been in this town a long time, you new people are not getting all of the correct information. Things could be worse you could be in Iraq fighting for this country. You must look at the larger picture, the whole country is going through finacial strife do you think Vidalia will not be effected? Vidalia does not increase electricity, LEAPA does...
Posted by EnKiKur (anonymous) on July 10, 2008 at 6:52 a.m. (Suggest removal)
What about the Walton family mskitty? Do you think they are having trouble paying their electrical bills while Vidalia residents help pay their electrical bill at the local Emporium of Cheap Chinese Junk?
Posted by mskitty (anonymous) on July 10, 2008 at 11:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Mr. Ellerbe, I will not comment to your idiodic statements. I am glad you have an avenue to vent your ridiculous opinion.
Posted by DUCKHUNTER (anonymous) on July 11, 2008 at 2:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
mskitty, and i do type slowly so you can hear me, Mr. Marty asked you a question, but because you are apparently stuck up the south end of certain north-bound officials, I will answer for you (aloud). NO, THEIR ACCOUNTANTS PAY FOR EVERYTHING, WAIT THAT WOULD BE YOU AND ME, CRAP! I GO TO NATCHEZ 7% TAX. NO JOBS THERE, BUT FEWER IN VIDALIA. SUBSIDIZED CHINESE CRAP...........THAT'S JUST A PLAIN IDIOTIC STATEMENT RIGHT THERE.
Posted by mskitty (anonymous) on July 11, 2008 at 3:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)
You are just as confused as he is. You have an opportunity to better you life no matter what community you live. First, quit complaining and apply yourself. If you want to work there are jobs, and if you want an education it is there for you. I don't have anything stuck anywhere. I am tired of people that live in Churchill complaining about what goes on in Vidalia. And as far as Walmart I shop there very little and when I do I always try to buy American products. duckhunter, you need to get your emotions in check, you definitely don't need to carry a gun with your temper.
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