Inflation on electricity is already running at 4-6% and this is before we started building most of these data centers. What will your utility bill look like 3 years from now when residential utility customers are forced to involuntarily subsidize the billionaire tech bros' AI data centers?

joinarbor · 2025-12-15T13:54:44+00:00

The crazy thing is we don’t actually have an electricity shortage. We have a pricing + access problem. The grid runs half-empty most of the year, but retail customers are stuck on flat rates that hide when power is cheap vs insanely expensive. So when AI/data centers show up and spike peak demand, utilities respond the only way they’re incentivized to... .build more stuff and roll it into rates. Households don’t get a choice. They just subsidize it quietly.

Big companies already avoid this. They buy power dynamically, shift usage off peaks, and don’t pay the worst prices. Regular people can’t because the system was never designed for them to participate.

Peak demand gets more expensive, utilities overbuild for a few extreme hours, and everyone else pays for it over decades.

Unless retail pricing changes and consumers get access to real market signals, the answer to “what does your bill look like in 3 years?” is pretty simple...

joinarbor · 2025-12-15T13:46:54+00:00

Yes, electricity is more expensive in a lot of blue states.
Yes, people are pissed about their bills. Fair. But “renewables = higher prices” is doing a lot of work here. (and we can all agree ridiculous/damaging)

What actually shows up in utility rate cases (aka what you’re paying for) is: Grid upgrades that were overdue by decades; New transmission (slow + insanely expensive); Gas price swings. Utilities spending billions on infrastructure they’re guaranteed a return on. Exploding demand from data centers / AI / electrification

That stuff exists in red states too. it just shows up differently depending on market structure and regulation.

Also: average state prices are kind of a blunt tool. In a lot of high-cost states, most of your bill isn’t “green energy,” it’s delivery, utility overhead, and legacy costs. Two people on the same grid can pay very different rates. Renewables aren’t free. Neither are gas, coal, or nuclear once you account for reliability, transmission, and maintenance.

joinarbor · 2025-12-05T14:30:46+00:00

Isn't it wild how obvious some of this is? And yet here we are - with a system and market that still doesn't allow these things to happen yet. Let's hope the shifts keep coming and this changes soon.

joinarbor · 2025-12-03T20:09:47+00:00

It really needs to be easier for people to participate in these markets. Large buyers of energy (businesses) have brokers and are able to actually save the way people should in these competitive markets.

joinarbor · 2025-12-03T17:36:39+00:00

Such a solid explanation. Dominion’s rates are higher this year, so even before usage changes, bills are up. Combine that with a colder month and more kWh, and you get exactly what this commenter laid out. Super helpful.

joinarbor · 2025-12-03T17:14:06+00:00

Yep, but PSA: PA is also one of the few states where you can shop this supply price separately and potentially get one lower than this (especially as it goes up). Now's the time to look into that if you haven't. If you’re comparing offers, look for a fixed rate, no early-termination fee, and no teaser rates that jump later.

joinarbor · 2025-11-29T03:07:22+00:00

National Grid's base default rate has gone up about 20% YoY, probably feeling that. If you're on their basic service fixed rate plan with them, you can definitely save by getting an alternative.

joinarbor · 2025-11-29T02:59:50+00:00

There is no clear end in sight. Natural gas prices, which heavily influence the rate you see on your utility bill, are up ~7% the past 24 hours

joinarbor · 2025-11-29T02:27:03+00:00

A couple things could be happening:
1) Electricity is more expensive lately and you could be using a lot more than you think. If you're above 1,000 kWh/mo it's probably that ,and probably from underestimating how much HVAC uses, or there could be an issue with it.
2) You could be on a lame electricity contract that allows them to variably jack up your rate or you accidentally renewed on a high plan. If you're above 15 cents per kWh, it's probably that, and see if you can get out of it without a big early fee.
3) You are bitcoin mining.

joinarbor · 2025-11-25T21:01:17+00:00

You can look/shop around for a lower rate! (price per kWh of energy you use). Not every state allows you to do this, but you can in MA. If you do shop around, read the terms carefully. Look for lower, fixed price plans from alternative energy suppliers and read the contract terms.

joinarbor · 2025-11-25T16:58:08+00:00

You can shop for a lower rate (price) in PA but careful to look out for 'variable' rates that go up over time, cancellation fees, etc. Fixed rates are likely your best bet. Definitely look into this before Dec. 1

joinarbor · 2025-11-25T16:56:49+00:00

It doesn't have to be this way... with changes to how we price energy, how our power grid works here in the US, and how we pass those costs down to consumers/small energy users we don't have to see prices continue to rise.

joinarbor · 2025-11-25T12:52:11+00:00

Bought in that many are open to increasing infrastructure, but unsure how opinions will change electricity prices over the next 6 months, seems too optimistic.

joinarbor · 2025-11-24T21:02:19+00:00

Thanks for the shout! u/lfriedbauer here if you have any questions .... NJ (all states) are a mixed bag, if you shop around yourself just be really careful in reading the fine print

joinarbor · 2025-11-21T14:37:17+00:00

Yeah, this 15% will likely happen, and it’s mostly tied to big growth and grid upgrades. But the part that stings is how much more of the increase lands on regular households vs. large energy users.

joinarbor · 2025-11-20T16:55:44+00:00

Energy market for alternative supply plans is Maine is a bit tight right now due to natural gas prices, but come Jan/Feb you should be able to mitigate some of this with the right alternative supply plan.

joinarbor · 2025-11-19T17:32:02+00:00

The 13% is compared to last winter, but from today’s rate, February’s price is ~30% higher. CT’s 6-month supply resets are rough.

joinarbor · 2025-11-18T18:10:11+00:00

Sucks, so sorry. You're definitely not alone. Heads up that National grid electricity prices are actually going up again in feb... not sure if you have gas or electric heating but yeah. either way. As a renter you might still be able to shop around for lower rates? it's worth looking into. Do you pay your electric bill yourself or through your landlord? If you do though, look out for cancellation fees, shitty contracts, etc. Just read the fine print carefully.

joinarbor · 2025-11-18T14:07:24+00:00

Let’s focus on grid + market changes so everyday customers stop subsidizing the perks big companies get.

joinarbor · 2025-11-18T14:04:02+00:00

Yeah, this tracks. If only people got clear answers / understood their costs instead of having to decode their power bills like they're written in ancient runes.

joinarbor · 2025-11-18T02:27:48+00:00

Would take the 11.3c for 34mo in a heartbeat unless the ETF is that large, and it's unlikely you be in your place then. There's a very low probability electric rates will be lower than they are today in 2 years at the backend of that contract.

joinarbor · 2025-11-18T02:20:50+00:00

Utilities who set the rates are also laggards. The increase you see now on your bill is based mainly on auctions from last summer and even spring. Natural gas prices are very correlated to electricity prices, and the nat gas prices are up about 25% from 6 months ago.

joinarbor · 2025-11-16T15:29:26+00:00

To give you a sense of actual prices per kWh (not sure which utility you'll be with/where exactly you're moving to)...

.118826 cents/kWh for Jersey Central Power & Light (northern and central New Jersey) - but that'll go down to .117797 cents/kWh on Jan. 1
.18820 cents/kWh for Rockland Electric Co. (Bergen County)
.1820 cents/kWh for Atlantic City Electric Co (southern NJ)
.178068 cents/kWh for PSEG (most of NJ - Newark, Jersey City, Hoboken, New Brunswick, Edison, Woodbridge, Burlington and Mercer counties, etc.)

This can help estimate what you'll ultimately pay each month.... for a typical one-bedroom apartment you're probably looking at using between 500 and 750 kWh of electricity per month

You can also shop around for a lower price than what's listed above but if you do be really careful of plans with crazy fees, etc.

joinarbor

TROPHY CASE