So anyway... normally our electric bill is around $200 - $250 a month. The last 4 months it has steadily gone up to $350, then $500, then $700 then $900 a month. We didn't notice this because they never sent us our bill. Wednesday we FINALLY get our bill... we owe $2500 to the CFE. (It should have been around $1000) We haven't bought any new appliances and we are using our power exactly the same as always. FUCK YOU, CFE.
I had a similar experience (although my bills have always been much higher than yours since I'm addicted to a/c) when my electric water heater started to go bad. Electric bills kept getting higher and higher. One bill was even more than my rent! ugh! Anyway, after the hot water heater died, and was replaced, bills were much more reasonable. Perhaps you have an appliance that is going bad or got fried during a power surge or something?? Or, maybe your meter is fried? I hate CFE too, but there might be a logical reason for the problem. I hope you figure it out soon...before you get another high bill.
I hope you're wrong, Susan... then I'd have to let go of my righteous indignation hahaha Our AC hasn't been cooling like it usually does now that you mention it, so maybe that has something to do with it? Coworkers are saying someone might be stealing our power. although judging from our meter wheel last night, I doubt that's the case. Still worth a try, though.
High electric bills and air not cooling as well? Sounds like problems I had when I hadn't cleaned my a/c filters for years. Also there was a thread a little while back about "summer rates vs winter rates." I have heard that the government was going to slowly eliminate the government subsidies that we enjoy. The monthly bill always includes a "value of energy consumed" line and what you actually pay to show the value of the current subsidy. I do sincerely hope they made a mistake and there is no good reason for it since giving up righteous anger is a real bitch! Been trying to do it for years. Have one reason taken away from me and I find another to get my fix. Truth is I don't handle it well. I wonder if I could compromise and just be pissed off at righteous anger! Hope you get it worked out.
My vote goes to the overworked (dirty filter) or inefficient a/c. At a time when most ppl are home you might want to turn off your inside the house breakers and then check your meter. If it is turning it could be that your power is being stolen. Good luck. I had a slightly different thing with CFE. My meter stopped spinning yet my electric service was the same. I reported it in writing to CFE, and got a stamped receipt on a copy of my letter. It took them the better part of a month to fix it. I have checked my consumption and it seems to be about the same, though I am early on in the billing cycle.
Jorge cleaned out the filter on Monday and the AC has been working like a dream ever since. I mentioned yesterday I thought that might be it. We'll put in a complaint with the CFE on Monday just to get a history of our complaint in case it's the CFE, and Jorge will be recording our meter readings every day for the next month or two. I hope it's the AC!! Power isn't being stolen. I checked the meter when I got home yesterday (all lights and appliances off) and it wasn't moving a bit.
Scorpio, An ill running a/c can indeed cause a huge increase in electric consumption. Normally an a/c compressor cycles on and off once the temp that is set on the thermostat is reached. If it is struggling due to a filthy filter, it cannot work hard enough to get the home/room cool enough to reach the set temp. Therefore the compressor keeps pumping away and the meter keeps on spinning faster than if it is just in the fan mode, where it goes when it cycles down. That said, a triple increase in COST does not equate to a triple increase in KWH CONSUMPTION. Remember that the first 150 kwh are billed at $.709 each. The second 150 cost $1.181 each and the next 250 go for the whopping sum of $2.497. This is the "real" rate and has nothing to do with the subsidy. Gringation refers to her cost "per month". She may or may not mean per two month bill. Let's believe she meant per month so her two month bill would be say $500. If her bill went to $900 per month, that would be $1,800. Trust me on the math here but to get a $500 two month bill her consumption would be 359 kwh. To get the $1,800, her consumption would be 808 kwh. This is 2.25 times her normal kwh consumption, BUT it is 3.60 (closer to quadruple than to triple) times the normal cost. This example includes the 16% IVA and DAP taxes on top of the kwh costs. Another factor could be poor insulation or even running it with a window open. Just me two pesos worth. It is so very important to keep the filter clean. Also, with a mini split the insulation around the tubing needs to be checked is it can dry out and literally just fall off in places. Leaves around the compressor, whether on the roof on or a ground level slab, can also cause not only a higher electric bill but can cause the unit to overheat and can damage the compressor or condenser beyond repair. Good old preventative maintenance. A period cleaning of this unit is a good thing to do.
When comparing prices for Cancun and Toronto we should always specify what currency we are using. And from today's Por Esto: http://www.poresto.net/ver_nota.php?zona=qroo&idSeccion=1&idTitulo=105769 Seems small businesses are having the same problem. Not sure I agree with the butcher shop shutting off his refrigerator to save money, but there you have it!
CFE rates per kwh change with each billing cycle. Always have; always will. No two billing cycles have exactly the same rates per kwh. Next, there are different ranges of consumption for the cost per kwh. As we all know, the more consumption (like Steve) the higher the rate per kwh. Cheapos like me, overall, pay less per ave kwh billed/consumed. These ranges are 50, 75, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900, 1000, 1250, 1500, 2000. These are as per the Tarifa 1C for 2010. I believe this is the most current "rate sheet" available. NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU CONSUME, DURING THE HIGHEST PER KWH RATE BILLING PERIODS, THE INCREASE IS ONLY 4.0% MAS O MENOS. VERY INTERESTING. Looking at the rate increases between the 2009 and 2010 Tarifa 1C notices, the average increase in the cost per kwh, was 3.5%-5.5% for low volume consumers, 300 kwh or less per bimester, and 4.0% to 9.3% for mid range consumers, 350 kwh-1000 kwh per bimester. Here is where it gets interesting. If you go over 1000 kwh, the increase goes from 4.0% on the low side, to 5.6%-6.7% on the high side. The cheaper months for cost per kwh, Apr-Sep, have the highest price increase. The other six months, having a higher cost per kwh, all have increases of right at 4.0%, no matter how much you use. Yes, Bundy, I know that I have too much free time. Jajaja. As it relates to we normal residential folks, I am not sure if I agree at all with the allegations in the link provided by Jim in Cancun, although it was interesting. It just doesn't match up with the Tarifas, at least for Class 1C, into which about 99% of us fall.
