Baseline credit as a charge by Socal Edison

I see what they are doing... There is a subsidy that is being paid by "generators" to those that use baseline quantities of electricity. And you, my friend, are a "generator".

For many decades (since the Pres. Carter Admin, as I recall) energy usage and pricing has become a political football that is controlled by the states and federal government. The powers that be--Use pricing as a cudgel to force energy conservation  onto the "wasteful".

How else can somebody who uses a little amount of power pay pay something like $0.16 per kWH and people who use a lot pay $0.36 per kWH (off peak base vs on peak high tier rates) (Northern California PG&E E6 rate plan).

I don't go to Costco to pay >2x more for my food and drink vs the local market. But through the California PUC (public utility commission) that is exactly what happens with our power.

In the "olden days", if you used more electricity, you paid lower rates.

And, even though I used Grid Tied solar for my home--I believe it is a subsidy to the "rich" (have to own a home, live in an area with lots of sun and no shadows from trees/buildings, and can pay $10,000 of dollars to install a system that is also free from property taxes, and I get paid retail prices for electricity--Net Metering).

Like it or not, we are now seeing the politics of Green Energy vs the politics of the Poor. And those of us who signed up under one system of subsidies, are not getting hit with the costs of another system of subsides. Even when I signed up, they told me at the time they would offer "GT Friendly Rates" for 10 years--After that, all bets are off.

The ever increasing costs of electric power (much of it due to Green Energy Policies at the governmental level) combined with private companies that still have to make a profit--This is what we get.

And why, the first thing I tell people is to get into major conservation (lots of insulation, double pane windows, Energy Star Appliances, turn stuff off when not used, etc.) first. Then put money in a savings/investment plan. Then, way down the list, if you have "free/available" cash", GT Solar can save you some money (only for the next 10 years--After that, don't know).

Is it "fair" the new generator charges... In politics, then answer appears to be yes.

-Bill