Empowerment!

OK, I have to admit it, I was pretty scared.

We moved from a barely-1,000 sq foot home to a 1750 sq foot home. We used to pay $250-$350 a month in electricity. We got the electricity changed over to our names the first of June, by talking to the meter reader (things are really that casual here - they called Nancy and she gave them our names and mailing address). For the past month, we have been using a LOT of electricty - the sump pump worked for a week straight, we had to keep testing appliances as we worked on them, then had to use them to do tasks. We have been using sanders and grinders and saws and drills, inside and out, getting the house in order. Five box fans run pretty much full time, as do the ceiling fans in every room - and since we are both in the house all day, and we have eschewed the whole 'going out to eat' thing except for an occasional pop-in at the Hub down the street for burgers and conversation, the stove and oven have been working at least twice a day, and sometimes all afternoon.

I was anticipating the first electric bill with dread. The meter reader had told us they would just tack the deposit onto the first bill, too. In SC that was $300.

We got the first bill yesterday. We opened it like we expected a snake inside.

And...
$156. That included the $50 deposit.

POW. What a shock! What a relief!
OK we don't have AC, most people here don't. It isn't necessary between the dry air that takes the temps to the 50's at night, and the constant winds. The heat is a propane tank that we haven't touched yet, of course, and the wood stove that we DID use one night the first week because it rained for three days and then got windy and icy cold. So that eliminates a lot of power drain. I realize that. But, still... holy crap. I can't remember the last time I had a power bill that low. Wait, yes I can... when I lived in the desert in NM and didn't have electricity at all!!

I talked to Mr Lancaster Wednesday. He runs the local feed store and fire department, and is on the City Board of Commissioners. I asked him if the town was still looking for property to put up wind turbines, and he said yes. I told him I would lease the back hill to the town for $1 a year and free electricity. He asked if I knew that they intended to sell the electricity as well - I told him no, but I expected that they would. I told him that I knew that wind rights alone on property were going for $60,000 an acre, but that I thought that was stupid... so if they wanted the property then we could make arrangements. As long as my cows and horses could graze around the turbines unmolested and unpoisoned by any hydrolic fluid or oil spillage, I would be content. He was... surprised. He did say that of course the town and the electric co-op would rather own the land, but...

Look, I could make money off of the deal if I pushed it but what would be the point? That would just raise the costs and make it harder for everyone, especially my neighbors. Why should they pay my bills... actually, they will be paying my electric bill. And with "free" electricity, I wouldn't worry about price escalations, and would be able to light and heat barns and coops and even the greenhouses, and do the things I want to do with the farm area... But at least it would be a fair trade; the town would get what it needed, and I would get what I needed. Why rip people off when they need help the most? This could be the impetus they need to get the town going again, to make money instead of just providing services. And I have always been a huge proponent of alternate energy. Mike and I have talked about putting up solar collectors and wind turbines anyway; why not let someone else do it for us, and we could 'go green' in our own way, and share that with others as well.

That was one of the things that Rodney and I were working on "back home"- the Electric City concept - that they will now never see because of their own short-sightedness and cutthroat, me-first politics. Their loss - and I am in a world now where people understand and appreciate the value of working together and getting things done that benefit all. Now THIS is home... and a damned sight nicer one. Smarter group, too, that know the value of a dollar because they actually work for it.

So the second Tuesday this month I'll show up to the Board meeting and see... by that time he should have talked to enough folks to get an idea of what their thoughts might be.