I have no love for Con Ed and their exorbitant rates. It would be a cold day in Hell before I let them dictate the temperatures in my house. Every month I get this "report card" from them comparing my previous months usage to two classes of my neighbors in similar houses, "normal customers" and "energy efficient customers". I score anywhere from 80% to 20% more than I assume the other normal customers. Problem is it's a big mystery what qualifies customers as normal and energy efficient. I did notice a house around the corner from me that has a stack for either a wood burning or pellet stove as well as box fans in the windows- in August. That has to be one of those energy efficient Con Ed customers. There are also old people around that can't afford to run their AC. Guy across the street from me has one lung and is 85 years old.
Interesting story. Way back when I was doing electrical contracting I did a new service upgrade for this guy. I needed to look at his Con Ed bill to get the account number to put on the application. I noticed his entire bill was only $15. That got me thinking about how that could be. Hmmm. This guy lived alone, went to work when it was light out, after work went to a bar, ate and got drunk, went home and fell asleep. Didn't need AC, had a refrigerator with a couple of beers in it, did his wash once a week (maybe). He also went hunting a lot so he was not at home.
Ah, yes! If he were around today he would be a true Con Ed energy efficient customer, someone who Con Ed thinks we should all be like.
-Hal
