www.thegardenisland.com

Monk Seal and Me...

Search This Blog

Thursday, February 6, 2014

"The Kauai Electric Company-Cooperative or Corporation..." 'James "Kimo" Rosen'

James “Kimo” Rosen is a retired professional photographer living in Kapa'a
 with his best friend Obama Da Dog, Rosen also blogs as a hobby...


KIUC-Cooperative or  Corporation


The  real question for the local electric company is; why are they one of the highest priced electric utility company's in the country at approximately .42 cents per kilowatt hour?


 The lowest rates of electric in the country are in Idaho at  approximately .06 cents per kilowatt hour.  New York city is the highest priced electric on the mainland at  approximately .16 cents per kilowatt hour. Kauai is almost triple in rates of New York city, 'Holy Toledo Batman!'

This whole smart meter  extravaganza is only a diversion to high electric rates. The real disappointment is being taken to the cleaners. A person in Idaho who pays $40.00 a month for electric, would pay 7 times that if they lived on Kaua'i. They would pay $280.00 for what  would cost 40.00 in Idaho. 

The electric company would rather focus on  the few people who opted out of smart meters than  focus on being a cooperative, instead they are just the opposite, very uncooperative. KIUC should be called , Kauai  Island Utility Corporation.

The Garden island news  reported in 2008,"the owner of Kojima’s grocery store in Kapa‘a, Glen Kojima, said the high cost of electricity keeps him from being able to hire new employees.
He said people are dumbfounded when he tells them what he has paid monthly — more than $20,000, or 12 percent of his sales, at its peak in 2008 — to keep his small market cooled and lighted."
http://thegardenisland.com/business/high-electricity-costs-drain-energy-from-local-economy/article_47b1f0d4-71a6-11e1-a6a3-001871e3ce6c.html

Who cares if you have a smart meter or an analogue meter. Who cares if you use a smart phone, laptop, desktop or Ipod computer. Who cares if you ride a bike or drive a car? Who cares if your vegetarian or a carnivore?Who cares if you want a dairy farm or not on Kauai? The real question should be, why did we need to vote either way on smart meters verses analogue? The special ballot cost members yet another $100,000.

If smart meters were so smart the calculations would had figured a way to make everyone happy and save  customers  money. Many complain of their privacy being invaded with smart meters, however as a recent commenter in the Garden island news pointed out, having a meter reader come onto your property once a month is more invasive than a smart meter.

True smart technology would be to convert everyone one on a tropical sunny island to solar and save millions a year in fossil fuel. True smart technology would be no high salaried CEO's.

True smart meters would tell us were not gonna take it from the utility company,airlines and oil companies that continually keep us addicted on oil related resources while there are healthier alternatives available.

Electric cars powered by solar panels,  like my friend Doug in California utilizes would rid people of oil addiction. Solar panels on every home and business on our tropical paradise could make us Independent of the electric utility company. An alternative  public transportation system to get us off island like a ferry service would reduce airfares and  the monopoly of the airlines that service the Hawaiian islands.

Imagine if smart meters were actually smart and could solve  the recession, put an end to barking dogs, feral cats, leaf blowers and all noise pollution. Now imagine they could end overpriced airfares, traffic congestion, racial tensions, corrupt politicians and drug abuse!

The only possible way to get through this electric price gouging monopoly is with a little electric  comic relief; 
Q: What is an electrician's favorite ice cream flavor?
A: Shock-o-lot!
Q: What would you call a power failure?
A: A current event. 
What Thomas Edison's Mother might have said to her son:
"Of course I'm proud that you invented the electric light bulb. Now turn it off and get to bed!"

Sign on on the side of the electrician’s van – “Let Us Get Rid of Your Shorts”.

Smart meters just need to be re-programmed to replace human politicians  and we would  all live happily ever after, now that would be smart!

With all the smart technology, I guess were not really not that smart after-all.

Hana Hou, (Encore) Shared From Facebook...









15 comments:

Chuck Lasker said...

So what's your overall point? Where do you think that money is going to be "corruption?"

KimoRosen said...

My point is to do something about being one of the most overpriced electric utility companies in the country, almost 3 times more than Manhattan, the highest priced electric on Mainland. Point is they are anything but a Cooperative at current prices...

Ami Thea said...

Obama was an ADORABLE puppy! She is adorable now though!

KimoRosen said...

dats my little girl! Mahalo!

Rick Comstock said...

I also read the blog, finished it with dumbfounded look on my face. I wondered how these ideas flow from only one fact "42 cents" to corruption. When most electric companies on the mainland us smart meter / grid to import the energy. Just given the fact that our main means of power is diesel generated from one location. I don't understand your misunderstanding.

KimoRosen said...

I just think they charge way to much,m you are right, maybe corruption is a little off, I am going to edit corruption out, Thanks for the feedback!

Chuck Lasker said...

There are several factors differentiating us from other American power companies. We only have 65,000 people to support all of the infrastructure, and that alone averages over $100 per month per member. Most rural coops buy energy from large producers, but we must produce our own. And we ship in diesel fuel from far away and burn it, which is massively expensive. KIUC is a non profit. There is zero reason to have rates more than necessary, as anything "extra" just goes back to the members. Believe it or not, at today's oil rates, if KIUC had not invested in renewable sources so aggressively, rates would be even higher. People wonder why rates have not gone down, but they have compared to what they WOULD be today.

Rick Comstock said...

Just like the minimum wage and inflation…..what should it be and this is what many overlook with their ideology. By the way the cost of McD doesn't seem to go up when all CEO gets a 40% increase in their incomes, why would it go up with the minimum wage increase. The 72% understand it's the others….which sort of matches the high school drop out rates across the country of 28%…..Opps more new stories….

KimoRosen said...

Chuck, spoken like a true Board member! Lasker 2014- KIUC Board of Directors!

Rick Comstock said...

Jimbo….Good fun article, but it was already good, now it's fun….

KimoRosen said...

Mahalo Bruddah!

Chuck Lasker said...

I am learning SO much through this process. It's silly members don't know what I've been learning. If I win, I am going to do a bunch of videos about how KIUC actually works, why rates are high, how smart meters work, etc. etc. At least, if the others let me.

Rick Comstock said...

Like a "good neighbor policy" then the same anti group will be tuning soon on you and saying, "this proves you co-op is hiding something"….never ending….great idea Chuck!

KimoRosen said...

Chuck, whether or not you win or not, still do da video's!

Chuck Lasker said...

Heck, I may do the videos during the election...