Should government control electricy?

**deathgodusmc** · 07-19-11, 03:54 PM

Heat Wave 2011: Temps Take Biggest Toll On Poor

Thats just a current example for my point. Currently the government controls water supply and gas. So why is electric exempt from this. This a multi billion dollar industry. In central florida alone the rates have gone up a dozen times in the past 2 years. Every time they asked for a rate hike it was agreed to aside from 1 occasion. By the government taking it over they could bring the prices down to a small profit. I had a bigger arguement for this but im curious as to where people stand on this one.

So if all other essentials are done by the government why should power be the exception?

**Partyball** · 07-19-11, 04:02 PM

How is water government controlled?

**DuDDy** · 07-19-11, 04:06 PM

Originally Posted by Partyball

How is water government controlled?

water is controlled mostly by local governments, not federal, in that they fall under "municipal services" and hence the government umbrella as well. Local municipalities control for the most part the water treatment, collection, and delivery as well.

IN a weird way the government does control electricity by allowing local monopolies for each power company in metropolitan areas.

**Rawr** · 07-19-11, 04:11 PM

Well the TVA is owned by the government. TVA is also the US's largest power company as well.

**deathgodusmc** · 07-19-11, 04:17 PM

Here water, garbage, sewage, and gas are all controled by local government. All the nessecities aside from 1 and im sick and tired of 4 and 6 hundred dollar electric bills fuckers have raised the rates 300% in the last 2 or 3 years because they want money to build a new nuclear plant. Shit i want a new truck for my business but i have competition so i cant raise my rates. Central florida has 3 power companies and only one you can use and that depends on the address your at.

**MaFioSo** · 07-19-11, 04:20 PM

This is a difficult scenario. Obviously most of us are against any type of government take over of a private business. However when it comes to utilities, in most cases there is a monopoly or duopoly that controls everything. Since there is little to no competition, it means they can charge whatever they want.

For example, here in the phoenix metro area we have two electric companies. Depending on what city you live in you will either have SRP or APS. You do not have the option of changing. But then again how could you? It's not like we can have two sets of power lines all over the city. So this makes for no competition and allows the private company to increase prices, and they do every year.

Maybe the government shouldn't completely take over the electric utilities but there should be regulations on the percentage of profit the electric company can make. This will ensure that their not just increasing prices every year for the sake of making more profit. Then again, if they made too much of a profit, they would probably just give all the upper management big bonuses and raises to get their numbers on track.

It's a difficult question, not really sure what we should do. Also, I'm not sure if a government take over of the utilities would lead to a lower costs of electricity. After all, government workers are among the highest paid in the workforce.

**deathgodusmc** · 07-19-11, 04:22 PM

Im just curious as to why they can argue a line from the constitution on welfare of the people for healthcare to make it mandatory yet people die every year from not having electricy for heat and or ac. Seems like they are being pretty selctive on what they want.

**Partyball** · 07-19-11, 04:25 PM

Originally Posted by DuDDy

water is controlled mostly by local governments, not federal, in that they fall under "municipal services" and hence the government umbrella as well. Local municipalities control for the most part the water treatment, collection, and delivery as well.

IN a weird way the government does control electricity by allowing local monopolies for each power company in metropolitan areas.

I actually work for a city as a water treatment plant operator. We also do waste water, electric and garbage. I thought he was referring to government regulating rates. We just doubled our water rates and still have the lowest rates in Florida.

**Partyball** · 07-19-11, 04:28 PM

The power companies get it wholesale from the plants and sell it. It doesn't matter who's lines they are. It is just who controls that area of distribution. It is mostly all the same power.

**deathgodusmc** · 07-19-11, 04:31 PM

Im no fan of government control but some things just make sense. If something is a nessesity and the companies have made it into a money empire that gives people no choice but to pay or be cut off then things are not working. I have no choice but to pay progress energy their fucked up increases for possible hurricanes that never show. Of which conviently the rates dont drop after hurricane season. What is the point of having progress energy, orlando power, and florida power if i cant decide which one has the better rates for me to use? They might as well be all the same company.