Anonymous wrote:Beverly Perry, former Pepco executive,
plays special advisor to Mayor Bowser for years and rates are now up by 30% this year; the year she leaves Bowser’s administration.

Perry did her big one and left.

https://51st.news/dc-electricity-bill-high-pepco/

rates are set by the public service commission, not the mayor

Anonymous wrote:My solution is to keep my (too) big DC house uncomfortably warm in the summer. After that first $525 Pepco bill in July, I set the thermostat at 80 degrees during the day / 78 at night.

I've said this before on these kinds of threads, but, those of us for whom a $500 pepco bill is a problem are not the people who can spend $30k on panels. If I could finance $1200/month for years to pay off the panels, I wouldn't be bitsching about a couple of $500 pepco bills, would I?

How can you have a big DC house (which is expensive) and then claim a $500 pepco bill is a problem?

Seems like you need to sell and move to a smaller place.

Anonymous wrote:My solution is to keep my (too) big DC house uncomfortably warm in the summer. After that first $525 Pepco bill in July, I set the thermostat at 80 degrees during the day / 78 at night.

I've said this before on these kinds of threads, but, those of us for whom a $500 pepco bill is a problem are not the people who can spend $30k on panels. If I could finance $1200/month for years to pay off the panels, I wouldn't be bitsching about a couple of $500 pepco bills, would I?

To help yourself and others, you need to be loud. First, call Pepco and say you can't afford your electricity. Then speak to every politician in DC telling them your electricity bill is too high. Unfortunately, we have a very pro-business, anti-person federal administration in office at the moment and probably nothing will change until the majority of Americans get too poor to afford to pay anything but speaking out is the first step. Pepco might give you a discount, you never know.

Anonymous wrote:My solution is to keep my (too) big DC house uncomfortably warm in the summer. After that first $525 Pepco bill in July, I set the thermostat at 80 degrees during the day / 78 at night.

I've said this before on these kinds of threads, but, those of us for whom a $500 pepco bill is a problem are not the people who can spend $30k on panels. If I could finance $1200/month for years to pay off the panels, I wouldn't be bitsching about a couple of $500 pepco bills, would I?

DC has free solar options. You won’t get the tax credit or the SRECs, but you will save on your electric bill.

My solution is to keep my (too) big DC house uncomfortably warm in the summer. After that first $525 Pepco bill in July, I set the thermostat at 80 degrees during the day / 78 at night.

I've said this before on these kinds of threads, but, those of us for whom a $500 pepco bill is a problem are not the people who can spend $30k on panels. If I could finance $1200/month for years to pay off the panels, I wouldn't be bitsching about a couple of $500 pepco bills, would I?

Support nationalization of Pepco. Privatization of utilities has been a colossal failure. It leads to poorer service and greater financial burden on citizens than if it were owned by the government. You are paying more because shareholder profit is considered more important than you.

Anonymous wrote:I am coming to the end of my roof's life but it's not quite time to replace yet. I don't want to get solar panels then have to take them down in a couple years to have the roof replaced and I can't afford, right now, to do the roof AND solar. Not all of us are DCUM rich.

OP is asking how to save on $$$s from Pepco. Other than installing solar, there really is no other option except maybe having a smart thermostat during the summer, but that’s not going to save you big $$$s.

Other thing you can do is unplug everything when you travel. Even appliances that aren’t actively running pull some energy while plugged in.

I am coming to the end of my roof's life but it's not quite time to replace yet. I don't want to get solar panels then have to take them down in a couple years to have the roof replaced and I can't afford, right now, to do the roof AND solar. Not all of us are DCUM rich.

Anonymous wrote:My roof is too shaded (massive tree over it) for solar panels. Any other options?

The more aggressive solar salespeople have tried to convince me to cut down my trees so solar is more viable.

Beverly Perry, former Pepco executive,
plays special advisor to Mayor Bowser for years and rates are now up by 30% this year; the year she leaves Bowser’s administration.

Perry did her big one and left.

https://51st.news/dc-electricity-bill-high-pepco/

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Getting solar as a DC resident is a no brainer. It is beyond me that everyone hasn't done this, and particularly this year before the federal credits expire.

You can't install solar on a slate roof, so many of us are not able to just get solar.

You can install solar on a slate roof but it requires specialized techniques and adds to the cost. In this area, you should be able to find an installer experienced with slate.

Anonymous wrote:Getting solar as a DC resident is a no brainer. It is beyond me that everyone hasn't done this, and particularly this year before the federal credits expire.

You can't install solar on a slate roof, so many of us are not able to just get solar.

Anonymous wrote:You people assume credits will always exist and stay the same. What happens when they don't?

Solar(residential) without subsidies is cheaper in many areas vs the grid right now. Now look at how fast your electricity bill is rising and will continue to rise for the next 10 years to pay for data centers. Solar panels prices continue to fall and efficiency keep improving.

Right now Chinese solar panels have a 25-50% tariff. Wish Trump and republicans would just get out of the way and allow consumers to pick what they want.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I knew it was coming, but the rate increase really hurts. I looked at my account. I used the same amount of electricity last month as October 2023. My bill is almost $100 higher.

What on earth can we do??

Support nuclear power.

Nuclear power is the most expensive option. It is 5-10 times the price of solar plus you have the risk of a nuclear disaster and tons of waste.

Anonymous wrote:You people assume credits will always exist and stay the same. What happens when they don't?

We still have lower bills even if credits disappear. Over time they make up for the expenditure.

Solar pays off regardless.