Electricity Rates Soaring In States With Emphasis On Wind Power -- October 17, 2014

I continue to transcribe my 2009 journal. It is amazing how many things I wrote about then that are headlines now. This one for instance, sent to me by Don.

Forbes is reporting:

Electricity prices are soaring in states generating the most wind power, U.S. Energy Information Administration data show. Although U.S. electricity prices rose less than 3 percent from 2008-2013, the 10 states with the highest percentage of wind power generation experienced average electricity price increases of more than 20 percent.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), the 10 states in which wind power accounts for the highest percentage of the state’s electricity generation are:

• Iowa – 27%
• South Dakota  – 26
• Kansas – 19
• Idaho – 16
• Minnesota – 16
• North Dakota – 16
• Oklahoma – 15
• Colorado – 14
• Oregon – 12
• Wyoming – 8

The wind power industry claims switching from conventional power to wind power will save consumers money and spur the economy. However, data from the top 10 wind power states show just the opposite. From 2008-2013 electricity prices rose an average of 20.7 percent in the top 10 wind power states, which is seven-fold higher than the national electricity price increase of merely 2.8 percent.

Look how price increases parallel wind energy:
The 2008-2013 price increases in the top 10 wind power states were:
Iowa – 16%

• South Dakota – 25
• Kansas – 26
• Idaho – 34
• Minnesota – 22
• North Dakota – 23
• Oklahoma – -2
• Colorado – 14
• Oregon – 16
• Wyoming – 33

Sad to see "North Dakota" in that group.  One of the few missteps for that state, I suppose. 

For Minnesota,

In Minnesota, electricity consumers spent $6.4 billion on electricity in 2013. Had Minnesota electricity prices risen at merely the national average from 2008-2013, however, Minnesota electricity consumers would have spent only $5.4 billion on electricity. That’s $1 billion in excess electricity costs in 2013. If we divide that up among Minnesota’s 2.1 million households, the extra electricity costs drained $476 from the average Minnesota household in 2013.

The good news: $500/12 months = $40 or about $1.40 "to feel good" about saving the world.