When going green means giving green

JEFFERSON CITY | Some Missouri residents and businesses soon could see a new charge on their electric bills — a fee for using less energy.

Though it might seem illogical, the new energy efficiency charge has support from utilities, most lawmakers, the governor, environmentalists and even the state’s official utility consumer advocate. The charge covers the cost of utilities’ efforts to promote energy efficiency and cut power use.

Well, there you have it. If kleptocratic pols, environmentalists and bureaucrats are all lined up to charge you more for using less, then it must represent the height of logic.

Usually, regulators allow utilities to recoup the cost of building power plants or buying more power to meet customer demand. Recently, the Missouri Public Service Commission began allowing some utilities to pass along to customers the cost of programs that reduce demand for electricity.

For example, the commission last week approved a program in which St. Louis-based AmerenUE can offer credits to businesses that voluntarily shut down or scale back their electricity use during peak demand. AmerenUE will be able to recoup the cost for the program that starts Thursday by increasing the rates it charges business customers.

We are all familiar with the concept of businesses passing along the cost of doing business to their consumers but that’s usually reserved for situations when there is an increase in the cost of that particular business-doing. This is the first instance we can recall where the government has allowed a private entity, the public utilities in this case, to charge their customers more because the customers were using less of what the utilities were providing. And this is permitted because the government needs their cut of the action, as well.

Kansas City Power & Light Co. already has 19 energy efficiency and demand-reduction programs, said Chuck Caisley, the company’s senior director of public affairs. He said the Public Service Commission is allowing the company to recoup up to $50 million of the programs’ costs under a rate plan in effect through 2010.

One of the company’s more popular energy-saving initiatives has provided free programmable thermostats to about 34,000 residential customers in Missouri and Kansas. KCP&L can remotely control the devices to reduce the frequency at which air conditioners run during peak demand times. The power company overrode customers’ air conditioners four times last year and twice so far this summer, Caisley said.

We have no earthly clue as to why this bit of mechano-totalitarianism would be “popular” unless the citizens of Missouri and Kansas have completely lost their minds… or somebody is lying. California has toyed with this idea for years now and it should be vigorously opposed on principle alone.

At the end of the day, what we see here is emblematic of Bailout Nation. When the government’s desires become so closely intertwined with private decision-making, you achieve a reality where good behavior is punished and bad behavior is rewarded. Becoming energy-independent may be a great idea for our nation, but your government would like you to know that it frowns upon any ideas you may have for your household in doing the same.

H/T: Secular Apostate