How Are Southern Members Doing?

[JR]

That is exactly why I will never run propane out here. (Well that and the high prices)

The drivers have more outs than a school teacher in a pandemic. "Too much snow, icy roads, icy driveway, drifted roads, drifted driveway, shoulder not wide enough on plowed drive, no turn around", and on and on and on.

 

[Wayne M.]

JR, it seems that my hangup was dealing with the corporate refill/ customer service system. Once I went down there things started happening. I made a path to the tank via snowblower, and the driver wrote a thank you note on the meter slip.

 

[GCroyle]

my BIL set them up with a 25KW diesel generator like mine, but on a trailer. They are sharing power with neighbors, cooking and serving hot food and coffee with them. Had our little rural community of five families lost power, we would have had them over at our house to get through the bitter cold.

I Hope and Pray all stay safe and warm through this terrible weather event.

Cheers, Ron

BIL is a real good neighbor. And sharing and supporting others, that's what Americans do.

 

[DavidC]

I wonder how the snow birds are handling this as Texas is a some what popular destination.

 

[mwilson]

Ron, I know the feeling with the propane. My new house is on propane. All my life I’ve been on nat gas in the street (city life) but now I’m a little bit rural, and about 3 weeks ago I was at 18- yes eighteen percent and waiting. The company is a large chain but I found their yard and went and pleaded with the manager. Thankfully I got a refill shortly after I threatened to bring my truck into the office if I had to come back. That and stating that I have my wheelchair bound mother in law with us really helped.

Sounds like the "Degree Day" system that the major Fuel and Propane Vendors use up here. They tell YOU when you get refilled based on a calculation of the daily temps and the past consumption history of the dwelling.......

We requested a fill of three places last month as we knew prices would be going up....no dice...Degree Days didn't agree...and they would not deliver. I have been a pretty steady customer for over two decades......

Told them to shove it and bought the fuel from a local guy. And will continue to do so as I'm done with them...

We have the same issue in the spring. The lake house is on a private dirt road which gets soft when the warmer days arrive and the frost starts to come out of the road. Always fight with them every spring requesting a fill up before the road goes soft....no place for a loaded fuel truck to be at that point. If we didn't argue with them every damn year we would run out of fuel oil in March or April. No more....

 

[Wiredawg]

Friends,

Propane folks delivering today... I'm good with that. They called to notify is they're on their way.

Snow is melting like crazy and hoping completely gone by Saturday. Hope everyone lands on their feet and recovers well.

Cheers, Ron

 

[Wayne M.]

I think you’re right, Mike. They show an estimated gauge reading for the tank and they’re always on the way up side. I’m constantly correcting it.

 

[Wiredawg]

Friends,

CEO of our electric company said on the news they are working a plan to allow customers to pay off the cost of this winter event... something we'll be paying off for 10 to 15 years. Price of energy increased 15K%. Yep. you read correctly.

Some folks are getting rich off this.

I think this will match or beat the energy crap in California.

Anyhoo, this is really sad if true, and sounds like it is.

Ron

 

[mfurrh55]

Glad I renewed my energy contract for 36 months a month and half ago, for same price I've been paying for last 2 years through Reliant

 

[Wayne M.]

Just like how #46 killed the pipeline on his first week, and now resuming all the agenda #44 was putting into place, and the advent of this horrible winter, I’m afraid we’re all in for a really tough row to hoe.
We didn’t even feel the effects of the energy disruption from the oil fields of Texas yet. In my area, diesel has shot up over .25 in the last month, and now the news that the “damage” from this season will cost “us” for the next decade or more?

 

[HPSimpson]

Friends,

CEO of our electric company said on the news they are working a plan to allow customers to pay off the cost of this winter event... something we'll be paying off for 10 to 15 years. Price of energy increased 15K%. Yep. you read correctly.

Some folks are getting rich off this.

I think this will match or beat the energy crap in California.

Anyhoo, this is really sad if true, and sounds like it is.

Ron

Out in California we have this regulation board in Sacramento just stamps what ever Utilities want! Pay the highest of all Utilities in continental US! But at least they do think ahead hmm!

 

[Tuesdak]

Out in California we have this regulation board in Sacramento just stamps what ever Utilities want! Pay the highest of all Utilities in continental US! But at least they do think ahead hmm!

... and for once we can complain about the power going out somewhere else rather than CA. CA can't keep the lights NOW let alone 20 years ago. Is the power actually on, now, in CA? If so give it a min for the wind to blow... This outage is like a 50 year event in Texas and covered like 75% of the USA in snow... Note: other states also have outages and energy shortages from this storm.

I wonder how the snow birds are handling this as Texas is a some what popular destination.

I would say Texas was reminded by snowbirds why people in the north call soda "Pop" ... when left in garages or cars. (AZ summer it goes "POP!" for other reasons.)

Jan 1973 written on the 35mm slide film my "snowbird" grandparents had. Eldorado, Texas. I thought these were their Michigan pictures at first, but, the Texas home was shown without snow and matches...

 

[JR]

Glad I renewed my energy contract for 36 months a month and half ago, for same price I've been paying for last 2 years through Reliant

Whhhaaatttt!! You actually negotiate your electric rates?

 

[BigPapa]

Jan 1973 written on the 35mm slide film my "snowbird" grandparents had. Eldorado, Texas.

That same storm gave us an inch of ice here in middle Tennessee. I was 10 years old. We were without power for 3 weeks.

 

[mfurrh55]

Whhhaaatttt!! You actually negotiate your electric rates?

When my contract gets close to expiring they give me the option to keep same pay rate or check into new options they have or go with a different co., but once you lock in, it will cost you to get out of it

 

[Wiredawg]

It's funny how "BUSINESS" works... In Bexar (pronounced Bear) county, CPS has sole and exclusive electric energy sales and management, so not sure if its good or bad. Service is good though. I'm sure the next few weeks are going to be in the national news as to what and how it happened and who benefitted... all completely legal and spelled out in the fine print. Lawyers good at that.

Stay tuned... this thread may actually end up in the Political section as we all know most (many) politicians are lawyers.

Cheers, Ron

 

[GCroyle]

Ron,

Remember, you're not climbing poles and calling the office yeah Mabel, it's Ron again. This line working can you hear me now?

Getting nicer out by the minute here in SC sun is shining, clear skies just need stuff to dry out.

 

[Wiredawg]

Ron,

Remember, you're not climbing poles and calling the office yeah Mabel, it's Ron again. This line working can you hear me now?

Getting nicer out by the minute here in SC sun is shining, clear skies just need stuff to dry out.

Did you mean Ma Bell, the term affectionately given to the old Bell system monopolies? I miss Ma.

Man, it was in the 80s I climbed my last pole... might have to dig out my old pole and tree spurs, polish em up and hang in the mancave.

Its 60 degrees and full sun today. We have some shade with a little snow left. Even the plumbing on my three 1660 gallon tanks just dripping g a little... prime for a redneck repair.

Well, guess I'll sign off this one, its run its course in my neck of the woods... hope everyone else recovers well.

Cheers, Ron

 

[JR]

When my contract gets close to expiring they give me the option to keep same pay rate or check into new options they have or go with a different co., but once you lock in, it will cost you to get out of it

Interesting! We've only one supplier here, our only negotiation tactic is tellin' 'em to disconnect....needless to say we don't have much to stand on

 

[GAmes]

Interesting! We've only one supplier here, our only negotiation tactic is tellin' 'em to disconnect....needless to say we don't have much to stand on

We have a slew of choices for providers, but they all buy their electricity from one or two sources. Kind of wierd deal. Prices range from 5.9 cents per KW to over 11 cents. The difference is the 5.9 cent guys also pass on all the charges they get, the 11 cent guys don't. At least, that is how I understand it.