by Carl

Two quick updates for NSTAR customers. (Note: I believe NSTAR is one of two utilities that serves Sudbury, the other being National Grid. Someone please correct me if I’m wrong).

At long last, NSTAR customers have the opportunity to all their electricity from wind power. The program needs approval from regulators, and may start as early as January 1rst, according to the Globe. Here’s a summary (straight from their web site)

-You can buy half your power for an additional 1.75 cents/kw-hr, or all of it for an additional 3 cents/kw-hr. To put this in perspective, NSTAR currently sells power for around 19 cents per kw-hr (including all distribution charges). The national average is around $.10/kw-hr. (see note below). So this will raise your total electric bill a bit under 10% for the half option, and 15% for the full option.

-The power will come from 195-turbine Maple Ridge wind project near Camp Drum in upstate New York and from a 44-tower wind project now under development at Kibby Mountain in Maine expected to open by 2009. (That’s all from a financial perspective.. from a physics/engineering perspective, the power comes from various grid sources.)

-NSTAR has put this on the top center of their home page. The Globe says that that the $3bn corporation will put its full marketing muscle behind this program.

-I am extremely excited about this. Certainly, signing up for this program seems a no-brainer to me. Also, anyone with spare time should call the NSTAR ( 800-592-2000 for customer service) to thank them. Utilities do this sort of thing because they want to get good press and have a nice, green image. Positive reinforcement is likely to help.

And remember, wind is the second cleanest energy source out there– also the second cheapest, when externalities are taken into account. But it is the only one that can power your whole house.

The cheapest energy source remains Negawatts– energy conservation. And NSTAR is offering $135 SMART meters for $29.95 (price includes shipping) for one more week– until July 31st. I bought one, and have found that it is terrific– it really helps me understand how I use electricity, and thus how I can save.

Finally, I find myself quite stunned to be writing all these positive things about NSTAR (with whom neither I, nor anyone I know personally, has any financial or employment connection). They have turned out to be quite a role model for other utilities.

Remember.. every time you talk to an NSTAR person about anything (I know… probably happens once or twice a year at most) thank them for being so progressive about wind and conservation. The more positive reinforcement, the better..

Note: (As an aside, does anyone know why we pay nearly double the national average for electricity? I’ve asked lots of people, got lots of plausible answers (we use less coal, have legacy costs for nuclear projects/mergers, etc) but none that I’ve found convincing.)