Hutchinson Leader - Business - Comments

Speaking of Hutch

Franky — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:00:44 -0600

Speaking of Hutch Utilities....I would really like someone to answer how they come up with these surcharges...My Gas Meter Charge is $31.50 per month and my Electric Meter is $10 per month...That equals $498 dollars per year...How do you jusify that ? Are these meters really that expensive ? Did some consultant tell you to tack on these fees and hopefully nobody will ever notice. ?I thought my utility bill was high enough without them.

I don't believe there was a

Terry Davis — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:24:33 -0600

I don't believe there was a lot of money, if any, put forward by Hutchinson Utilities on Big Stone. Utilities had a contract to get 42 megawatts of baseload power from Missouri River Energy, one of the partners in the project. As the story said, the contract was contingent upon the plant being built, which was a number of years off even if it had gone forward.

It is likely the only expenditure was staff time studying the proposal and attorney fees preparing the contracts.

HUC can generate its more than enough of its own power with its local plants, but natural gas is often much more expensive than electricity generated at a coal-fired plant. One issue with wind power is that it doesn't usually provide a very reliable baseload of power. When is electricity most often needed? On hot summer days when everyone is running their air conditioning and the wind is often not blowing very strongly. So the wind power would fall short of demand. On those days, HUC can use its expensive gas-fired generators at that point and sell into the market because demand is so high.

(Terry Davis is a Hutchinson Leader staff writer. E-mail him at davis@hutchinsonleader.com.)

Actually, the loss is all

Raymond Norton — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:01:22 -0600

Actually, the loss is all Hutch Utilities'. They transfer over a million dollars a year to the City.

So, how much money has

tms — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:39:25 -0600

So, how much money has Hutchinson thrown into this venture that they will not get back??? More of our tax $$$ wasted by the city!!

Do you like your lights to

joedonuts — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 00:59:21 -0600

Do you like your lights to come on every time you flip up the switch? I would bet you do, otherwise you wouldn't be able post drivel on these blogs without electricity for your computer.

Keep dreaming if you think wind energy is going to save us. Ever do any research on how much CO2 is emitted from ethanol plants? Probably not...

I have nothing against wind power, but to assume that it's a replacement for coal (or nuclear or hydro) energy is just plain idiotic and apparent that there is a lack of understanding of how the electric system works. After reading some of the previous comments it's apparent that people have become much too comfortable with the idea that the lights will come on every time they flip the switch and express excitement when future sources of cheap, dependendable electricity are derailed, but in all reality they are only shooting themselves in the foot.

I really hope the utilities here and across the country raise their rates just so people like you will wake up and learn the hard way what is going on, and voters will recognize what the regime currently holding power at the state and federal level is doing. Then maybe, just maybe, the voters, after noticing their increasing utility bills, won't be so eager to pull the polling booth lever for those who have a (D) behind their name......those candidates responsible for expensive, unreliable energy.

Don't forget that not only is YOUR utility bill increasing due to the fact that you don't support cheap, clean, dependable energy that Big Stone II would have provided, but the utility bill of the the local and regional business owner's where you spend your paycheck on a daily basis is increasing as well. If you think they are going to eat the extra cost of unreliable renewable energy you are misguided.

I truly believe the only way people are going to get this climate change garbage out of their heads is when it hits their pocketbooks in the form of higher rates. Hopefully they'll come out of this moronic trance they've been in before then, because higher utility bills are sure to come if they don't.

hey just I agree. all obama

justlisahere — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:59:43 -0600

hey just I agree. all obama has managed to do is recieved an award he does not deserve and let being on tv go to his head. I have never seen a president on tv so much in my entire life. not even bush was on this much. Obama loves the lime light. he reminds me of our poor excuse of a goevnore jessie call me a bully venturia. neither knew how to do their jobs.

I am willing to pay more for

alben — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:34:24 -0600

I am willing to pay more for wind energy or other clean energy. We don't need coal power plants putting more CO₂ in our atmosphere.

It is a crying shame that we

farrowz — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:41:21 -0600

It is a crying shame that we are unable to build energy. Coal is VERY abundant in the US. The technology to clean the emissions from a coal power plant is mature. All I see is wind wind wind. You cannot build enough wind farms to power America.

But (I guess) you can charge each household more money by trying. My vote is to use proven reliable technology that produces very cheap energy.

Oh come on now Ray, let's be

just1opinion — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:09:58 -0600

Oh come on now Ray, let's be fair. President Obama promised to get us out of the war and look how...oh never mind. He did come up with the cash for clunkers and that...oh never mind. The most common trade of all those sales were people who went from a Ford F-150 to another Ford F-150 with almost identical fuel economy. Some trades had people getting vehicles with worse fuel economy and the estimate is that it cost the taxpayer an average of $24,000 per vehicle taken in. He promised to act swiftly on...oh never mind. Hey, but he did win the Nobel Peace Prize for...um...um...let me see...it will come to me...Well, at least he gives a great speech and doesn't trip over his words. And his wife planted a nice garden on the White House grounds. They did get a family dog for the White House like he promised! All that is worth something!

YEAH - Bring Bush back , and

mj — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:24:04 -0600

YEAH - Bring Bush back , and Paulson, so they can "create" the BAILOUT program on Goldman Sacs mgmt ideology!

As a layedoff employee of

pfiremanemtb — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:05:21 -0600

As a layedoff employee of Hutch MFG I am hearing that they are not going to hire for Nucrane the employees that were laidoff from Hutch MFG. Ive been hearing that they are going to hire "new" employees. I find this kind of disturbing considering I helped build some of the equipment that is going to be built in this new company. I would think, who better to build the cranes and trollys but the guys that have already build some of them and have the know how to do it.
For you that dont know, I was told that they are only going to hire a dozen people to start the company. Im hearing that they are going to keep the employee count to a minimum for the first year. As usual this is all hearsay, so my information may not be truly accurate either. Best wishes to everyone looking for employment as I am doin the same.

Who said President Obama is

Raymond Norton — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 22:03:51 -0600

Who said President Obama is not keeping his campaign promises??????

http://www.moonbattery.com/archives/2008/11/obama_promises_1.html

Well what a good time to

Chacha — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:17:01 -0600

Well what a good time to raise our bills then. They always find a reason....

The more medication...the

tms — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:24:44 -0500

The more medication...the better. I'll have to have my shipments from south of the border increased!

Your right tms, but don't

Garagemonkey — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 23:10:20 -0500

Your right tms, but don't you get it? Even if it's only 10 more jobs some of the local unemployed will be earning a pay check. Not to mention the construction crew that will be employed to build the facility. These people will be earning money that can be spent in the local economic base. Dollars turned at grocery stores, hardware stores, used for housing and utility payments. And don't forget, with this added monitary endowment, many will be able to afford pets so you can keep your day job of ridding the world of ferel strays.;) Keep up the good work and best of luck with the medication.