NRG Deception, Potentially Clean Peaker Plant

When it comes to the underhanded tactics of the energy monsters in Connecticut nothing surprises me any more. For all of you out there who may not remember let me refresh your memory on some key promises made by our "peaker plant" by NRG.

As you all know, we needed to upgrade our failing electrical grid and provide an emergency generator on the the multi billion dollar line that has aptly become known as the Middletown power project. Soon after the celebration of its completion and all the lawsuits that followed, the MIddletown power plant exploded due to the alleged negligence of a massive gas leak.

Lawsuits aside, and the massive downward property revaluations in Milford (that are now being handled by a class action lawsuit) the peaker plant was supposed to be clean. Well I have come to discover that technically it is clean because it has the ability to use natural Gas. If you believe the CO2 emissions from its billowing smokestacks is clean than I suppose we could agree it is cleaner than the legacy left behind by the "Sooty Seven."

When I heard this "Natural Gas Capable" remark from an employee who works at the NRG site my "antenna rose up" and I dared ask the question "what do you mean Natural Gas capable?" That is when he said that "in order for it to use Natural Gas in a "peaking situation" a contract to purchase that gas would have to be made in advance. Since we do not know when it will be "flipped on" management decided it is more cost effective to burn dirty Diesel Fuel."

Without getting this guy in trouble, and the fact that I was Red with disgust and contempt for these environmental liars, I instead took the liberty to write this rant today and share my disgust with my readers. The point of the story folks, we may have gotten more tax revenue for the city of Milford but you just paid for it through higher energy prices and the maintenance of a plant that is in limited operation. So really we got little to nothing! just a big polluter and a bigger electric bill!

If you want to fight back call me, because thanks to energy deregulation we can eat into the profit structure of these criminal projects by switching your energy provider. I will gladly enroll you into North American Power, save you money, and at the same time send a message to the big lying polluters in town. Call me (203) 247-4357 in Five minutes we can have someone else supply your electric.

Above photo is the one issued by the UI/Nrg Public Relations office to the general public. Notice that the picture has all the local houses replaced with vegetation to deceive environmental objectors as to its true impact and vicinity on residential housing.

Energy Deregulation Still Misunderstood

Recently, I have attended several conferences on Energy Deregulation in Connecticut and the United States. The state wide meeting I attended was with 500 people at the Marriott hotel in Stamford. The meeting was presided over by Kerry Breitbart President and CEO of the United Companies. Kerry was a world leader in energy trading through a company he founded called Amorex. He now is the champion behind the fastest growing energy deregulation company in Connecticut and has secured a $75M line of credit from Wells Fargo bank to bring that message to our city state and town consumers.

The statistics on energy deregulation in CT are however surprising. The facts show that only 20% of homeowners in the state are off the UI and CL&P program, businesses fare better with 40% of them being deregulated. However, the numbers tell that many people are still questioning the sincerity of this program, currently there are over 15 companies who claim to offer lower energy rates. Some have argued that UI seems to be going against their own interests. However this is a fallacy, actually UI and CL&P tell their consumers through inserts in your bills, on their websites and in public meetings that anyone who wishes to save money on their energy bills needs to pick another company besides them.

This is hard to believe, that the electric companies would be sending their customers to their competitors, but the reality is that this recommendation does not effect the overall profitability of their company. According to representatives at North American Power and Gas, the energy companies were deregulated many years ago. They were told to sell off their power plants and purchase their energy on the open market.

Connecticut traditionally has its bill bundled, combining the cost of delivery, with the cost of generation. After deregulation passed there was no profit incentive for the energy companies to produce energy. Most of the profit the energy companies make is through the delivery side of the energy bill, those costs pay the utility company for creating a customer bill, responding to emergencies and reading your energy meters.

None of this is effected when a person changes to an alternate energy provider. Effectively the only thing that changes is the price consumers pay for energy. This confusion is what is causing many people not to change over. Some people feel that if they change their service provider they will not get emergency service that they no longer will be able to speak with their electric company representative like they used to, or their electrician will not get help if he needs it... all of which is completely false.

Rarely do I recommend what people should do but if any of you out there reading this today have not changed your energy provider I urge you to call me at (203) 247-4357 to have your bill lowered. It takes about 5 minutes of your time, requires no contract to be signed and will save you about one of your bills a year in money. Its completely worth it to sign up with the right company.

For more information click the North America Power Advertisement to the right of this blog in the Ad Bar, there you will find a video just click the play button to learn more.

Energy Monsters Looking To Quash Deregulation

Many small energy companies are up in arms this week and are circulating petitions and letters aimed at voters to take a stand. The stand they want you to take is to call your local representative and tell them that you support lower electric rates, competition within the current grid, and the many small companies that are now competing with the big energy giants.

One such company circulating this letter is Energy Plus Holdings LLC and it alleges that consumers will "lose the ability to save money and receive other innovative benefits such as valuable rewards offered by Energy Plus. We urge you to contact your State Senator or Representative to let them know you want to keep retail electric competition in Connecticut - and that you want to continue to have the opportunity to earn rewards and save money on your electric bill."

Connecticut deregulation came about after consumers complained that they were paying among the highest rates in the entire continental U.S. Unfortunately, UI even amid deregulation managed to nearly double its rates in just over a decade.

Having heard several conference calls from UIL Holdings, the energy company in New Haven and Milford who reports quarterly to their investors; the common theme by its CEO Thorgenson is "profits are up nicely." The DPUC regulates this kind of rate activity of our local energy giant and about a year ago UIL drew much public criticism by Mayor Stefano when they decided to abandon New Haven to build a multi-million dollar "over the top" world class HQ in Orange at the old Movie theater site and at the expense of increased billing rates.

Mayor Stefano citicized UI, pointing to the site it abandoned in New Haven as a "Toxic dump" citing "UI still has not acted responsibly in cleaning up their mess." UI is also currently working with ENRG Inc. in Milford to complete a peaking generation plant.

According to representatives I spoke with last year at the "Devon Day Fair," the question was asked by Dick Sieron an Electrical engineer who worked for the power companies "how is this project funded?" The representative there indicated that "although this plant will not operate for many months out of the year, ratepayers will be paying for it anyway out of their current bill."

UI and its partners continues to draw sharp criticism from the community, especially in recent months when their lack of safety precautions caused a Middletown plant to explode, killing and injuring several people.

The cause for competition in sales, distribution, and generation of electricity is very much needed amid the acrimonious and accident prone nature of the current industry. The DPUC and Attorney General Richard Blumenthal was able to stop many of the abuses of the energy companies directed at the people of CT in previous years, but with his bid for Congress being a major distraction to those efforts the people of Connecticut may be in serious jeopardy of being taken advantage of by the energy giants yet again.

There is no surprise that in wake of this years U.S. Senate race the UI Gang is going "Gangbusters" trying to "Stick It" to the people of Connecticut now that they see an opportunity. It is our responsibility to "slam the door shut yet again."