gprimr1 wrote:I will be very brief, as it is mostly off-topic except that Amtrak is an electric customer in Maryland. There are two factors that caused the dramatic rate increase: (1) the cost of natural gas and coal for generation fuel skyrocketed, and (2) Maryland froze untility rates years ago in restructuring and despite suppliers' escallating costs over those years, they were not allowed to increase rates until the freeze expired. There was a substantial savings in rates for energy over the period, and even a 72% increase does not bring the rates as high as they would have been absent the wholesale power market deregulation.The USA's electric generation business, for which the coal is needed, has been deregulated for many years, with competiton everywhere and in many areas of the USA competition is intense.Respectfully, I would really like to see your figures on this. In my home state of Maryland, we just deregulated our power, and our electric rates shot up 72%. (PEPCO customers received no help from the Maryland Senate.)
See:
http://www.pjm.com/documents/downloads/ ... c-mkts.pdf
~Ken :: Fairmont ex-UP/MP C436 MT-14M1 ::
Black River Railroad Historical Trust :: [/url]
Black River Railroad Historical Trust :: [/url]