Dear City of Austin,
Recently, you posted a Homeland Security and Emergency Management notice saying that we city dwellers ought to try harder to conserve energy during the “peak hours of 3 to 7 pm.” You listed a number of “energy-saving tips,” as if we are all idiots who don’t understand the concept of turning town the thermostat when we’re not at home, turning off all unnecessary lights, and avoiding heating the house further with oven cooking in the middle of summer.
Frankly? I don’t need your lectures on energy conservation. It’s Texas, it’s summer, and it’s 110 degrees outside. If I’m home, I’m running the A/C, and you sure as hell aren’t going to get me to turn it off. And you know what? Even when I set the thing at 72, it’s still only bringing the indoor temps down to 80, so stop giving me this sob story about peak electricity times and how I’m overworking your system cus I haven’t set my thermostat at 80.
Build a better system, I say.
First of all, as I noted, I’m not trying to crank my A/C down to 60 degrees or anything. I’m a frugal lady on a budget, and I think 72 is an acceptable compromise between the 75 I’m okay with and the 68 my husband prefers. Don’t tell me how to set my thermostat; I’m well aware you’ve got those fancy-schmancy programmable models, but in my opinion? They’re crap for anyone who doesn’t have a regular 9 to 5 job. One day I’m home all day, the next I’m at work, sometimes, I’m home in the morning, sometimes in the evening, and I’d have to keep re-setting the program. Pointless. On top of that, are you really expecting me to turn OFF my A/C in this heat? I’ve got a cat who would die of heatstroke if I did, so that’s a ridiculous, dangerous and insulting expectation.
But to really rub salt in the would, you point me to this website, Power To Choose, which says it will grab all of the power supplier offers in my area and allow me to pick the best bargain for my buck. Great! Except for one tiny problem: THERE ARE NO OTHER CHOICES IN MY AREA. It’s City of Austin or nothing. You guys are the monopoly, threatening to cut off my services because I can’t pay your giant bills in one fell swoop. Nice. Real neighborly.
Thanks for nothing, Texas Electric Choice!
So when you put out your power emergency alerts, think about this: you’re the ones who are supposed to be in the business of supplying us power. You’re the ones who are supposed to come up with an increasing supply for our increased demand. And you know what? This demand happens EVERY YEAR in the summertime; it’s not unexpected, it’s not surprising, and you maybe you guys should learn to plan for this annual occurrence a little better. The population of Austin is ever-increasing, and the people that live here are going to expact–nay, DEMAND–air conditioning when it’s hotter than bloody hell outside. That’s not a want, it’s a need. Between 3 and 7 pm, and beyond. Get used to it; that’s your job.
If you can’t handle doing your job, maybe there should be other options out there, and your monopoly should be broken up by the government, a la the phone company being broken into a bunch of “Baby Bells,” back in the day. What do you think about that?
Government services like electricity are not optional, so I’m not sure why you run yours as if they are. Get a clue, stop lecturing your customers, and give us some REAL options, instead of cavalierly suggesting we turn up the thermostat and shut off our lights.
Sincerely,
Your most disgruntled customer
P.S. Oh yeah: Where’s that free weatherstripping kit you promised me 2 months ago?!
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Tags: City of Austin, energy-saving tips, Homeland Security and Emergency Management notice, Power to Choose, Texas Electric Choice
I can understand your pain of hot weather and high bills. The City of Austin Electric Utility has been a huge benefit to the City of Austin and I would like clarify that although you do not have a choice of electric providers in Austin – you do have the second lowest electricity rates in the state (second only to San Antonio’s electric utility).
The word monopoly can often be negative – but the CoA Utility has never abused the community and has returned any excess monies to the city’s general revenues fund.
I hope you can stay cool. Run your A/C as much as you like – just don’t freeze the coils…and if you’re neighborhood experiences a brown-out…you can all stand in the heat together and discuss how you deserved your A/C.
So, Aaron, I take it you work the the City of Austin? I’d like to see your proof on these points, too, but since you’re a city worker, you probably only have soundbytes that were self-produced.