6byfour

6byfour t1_jegns45 wrote

I did a 1 hour commute for 20 years. I didn’t think the first job would last long but I stayed 11 years. By then we had attachments in the community we lived in, and my wife worked 5 min from home. I ended up getting another job, also an hour away because that’s where my professional network was.

I was able to do some of my job from the car, like calling contractors etc. I also had customers in my area and on the way, so it was often not a fully wasted trip. It also allowed me to hit certain stores on the way, so if my wife’s aunt likes a restaurant that’s 40 min away for us, I could pop in easily for a gift card. Later, I could occasionally catch my son’s high school sports because they were closer to work than home.

My job was very flexible and I could make up hours at home if I needed to leave early. I now mostly work from home.

So it wasn’t all bad, but some of it was. I figure it cost me an extra car over those years, and it ate a lot of time. I think it impacted our social life a bit because my work friends were out of reach for dinners with spouses, etc. it definitely impacted my health with extra sitting and too much fast food.

2 hours a day *200 work days is 16.7 days on your ass in the car every year. So in my case I’ve blown almost a year of my life driving to work. I get a little bitter when I think about that.

7

6byfour t1_jcadt2w wrote

I didn’t say it was helping consumers. Consumers get screwed because they don’t pay attention, and that has zero to do with CMP. That said I don’t see how it is hurting them in the context where you said it.

If you said your car had a flat and I said, “SEE? Competitive supply!” And rubbed my beard, you’d look at me funny.

I’m looking at you funny, because the existence of a deregulated supply market has exactly nothing to do with CMP buying ads, which is the topic you responded to and a bunch of people upvoted.

0

6byfour t1_jca3n4m wrote

The issues raised in the report are well known.

I’m failing to see the connection between that and the issue you replied to.

CMP did not create and does not operate Maine’s competitive market. It’s better for them if it’s a thriving market that helps consumers but they really have nothing to do with it. Competitive suppliers are competing with a price the system sets, not CMP.

Not seeing your point.

1

6byfour t1_jc9y0ed wrote

About $4,600 (they only have 650,000 customers).

So that would be just under 400 in profit per month per customer. That’s after all salaries, materials, trucks, fuel, storm costs, etc.

The $3B number for Maine is nonsense.

1

6byfour t1_jc9tz79 wrote

Deregulation in the utility industry means that supply can be bid competitively, separate from delivery. I’m currently saving $.09/ kWh this way.

How is this bad?

Which part of deregulation has hurt you here?

−9

6byfour t1_jbz3t9d wrote

Reply to comment by redcoat777 in Pine tree power question by respaaaaaj

They’re covered by a mix of prior income and credit. To have cash, they need to have charged someone money in the past, which they haven’t.

So all of this talk about just buying the assets and skipping away ignores the money it takes to actually serve the customers. A distribution system is a very hungry animal, especially when the weather is bad.

1

6byfour t1_jbyko16 wrote

Reply to comment by redcoat777 in Pine tree power question by respaaaaaj

The $10B (or 13, or whatever gets decided after years in court) is just for the assets CMP already owns. Actually operating the utility will take hundreds of millions per year.

Some individual storm restorations in New England have cost tens of millions in a week. Isaias in CT cost over 100M for one utility.

2

6byfour t1_jbxe8q1 wrote

Imagine if we just had a simple bidding process rather than sole sourcing to one company that doesn’t exist yet.

Now further imagine you’re an employer considering investment in a state where the government just points at your shit and takes it when they want.

2

6byfour t1_jbxcctn wrote

LOL no it’s not. You are looking at one out of thousands of cost elements.

You should divorce from CMP through the legal and ethical process that already exists, but there is nothing simple about this deal. I can’t tell if the people presenting it are naive or dishonest. Maybe both.

I’m 100% in favor of revoking CMP’s franchise or rejecting every rate hike request until they leave voluntarily. You can then have an orderly sale of assets with PTP being one bidder out of several. Then you can choose the best mix of cost, resource plan, etc. vs just pointing at one entity and saying they win.

At my company anything over $50K requires multiple bids, and you guys want to sole source a contract with a value greater than the entire 2023 state budget. And that’s just the purchase price - you need a shitload of capital too.

1

6byfour t1_jb4nemf wrote

My first round last Thanksgiving (21) was pretty bad. So tired I was nearly useless for a week - I could work for an hour or two and then nap time, and by day 3 my chest was very congested. Got it again this winter and was more like a bad cold - after my quarantine and several negative tests I was able to travel with no problem

1