Letter to the Editor
Regarding PSNC's latest proposal featured in the April 21 article "PSNC drops usage minimum," three words: Don't be fooled. It will not save residents money. PSNC plans to make residents pay, and pay with interest.
True, PSNC asked to end its use-less, pay-more rate structure and to bill all residents at the lower rate. But there is one big caveat: PSNC intends to recover for what it thinks it would have collected under the use-less-pay-more rate scheme, plus interest.
In its submission to the Utilities Commission, PSNC proposes to accrue interest on the amounts deferred and to seek rate recovery with interest from its residential customer class.
No matter how PSNC frames it, PSNC still would be charging residents more for using less, now with interest. Thanks, but no thanks.
Last October, the use-less-pay-more rate schedule passed through the Utilities Commission like a Halloween trick. Let us hope when it reviews PSNC's latest proposal, the Utilities Commission will not make us April fools.
Eliminate the conservation penalty. Do not penalize residents for PSNC's mistake.
Shana Becker
Staff attorney, NCPIRG
Raleigh
