This raises the question for me: Why are our power bills growing?
No it is not carbon taxes. They haven’t appeared yet.
If it is dramatically increasing prices of coal and coal seam gas then we need to ask ourselves why we are exporting instead of supplying the domestic market at a more affordable price. Clearly coal and CSG exports are not contributing to making electricity more affordable here. Certainly coal and CSG prices have jumped on global markets.
What we are told though is that the electricity market is faced with a huge bill to supply infrastructure (power stations and power distribution grids and transmission lines). We are told there was a backlog on building sufficient new ones to meet demand. They cost heaps.
If this is correct it raises more questions about why so much more infrastructure is needed:
1. Why can’t we put in place solar and wind locally without extra coal-fired and CSG power stations and distribution grids?
2. What is driving the need for all this extra demand?
[ul]Is is more population in SE QLD?
Is it that we are using electricity more profligately?[/ul]
The growth in prices mirrors the growth in population in SE QLD. It would be difficult to argue that population growth is not linked to growth in electricity prices.
The new buildings now have thrown away some of the features which used to enable people to live in QLD without heavy power use. These include wide verandahs cooler under-house areas wooden structures trees.
Now in apartments and brick homes without eves people are forced into using air-conditioners.
High levels of ownership of computers screens electrical appliances air-conditioners and pools (pool pumps) all lead to an increase in individual’s power use.
But if this is not so for all of us if we are finding ways to reduce our power use should we be forced to pay for the infrastructure that wouldn’t be needed if the population was stable buildings designed for the climate and power for by use not by fixed daily charges.