Power Grade: Americans Rate Their Utility Companies

POWER GRADE AMERICANS RATE THEIR UTILITY COMPANIES Unless you live completely off the grid, for better or worse we've all got to deal with a utility company. So how are Americans feeling about their power company? And how does that change depending on what company they use and whether they use solar or grid power? One Block Off the Grid polled more than 200 utility customers to find out how they'd grade their utility company. MAKING THE GRADE AVERAGE GRADE SCALE A (>4.5) B (3.5-4.4) C (2.5-3.4) D (1.5-2.4) Grades were calculated based on responses from more than 200 respondents who were asked to provide a letter grade for their general happiness with their utility company and the company's commitment to renewable energy sources. The grades were assigned a number based on A=5, B=4, C=3, D=2, F=1. Then, average grades were calculated on an adjusted scale. F(<1.4) GRADING 10 POWERHOUSES Several energy companies are responsible for powering a huge portion of our country. Here's how 10 major utilities stack up, according to their millions of customers in various markets. E GENERAL HAPPINESS WITH UTILITY COMPANY NATIONWIDE LONG ISLAND POWER AUTHORITY O PEOPLE USING SOLAR POWER 4 PEOPLE USING GRID POWER Serving Long Island, New York NEUTRAL/AVERAGE C-34 C -33 -2.8 JERSEY CENTRAL POWER & LIGHT NEUTRAL/AVERAGE Serving New Jersey O C-2.8 PACIFIC GAS & ELECTRIC PECO COMPANY Serving Northern California Serving Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and surroundinG areas NEUTRAL/AVERAGE O C26 B-3.8 LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT NEUTRAL/AVERAGE OF WATER AND POWER Serving Los Angeles, California SOMEWHAT HAPPY C-3.0 NEUTRAL/AVERAGE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON Serving parts of central, coastal, and southern California CON EDISON Serving New York City and Westchester County, New York O C-2.7 D-24 NEUTRAL/AVERAGE SOMEWHAT UNHAPPY SAN DIEGO GAS & ELECTRIC Serving San Diego, California, and surrounding areas ENTERGY CORPORATION DOMINION RESOURCES --4.0 Serving Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas Serving parts of Virginia and North Carolina B-2.9 SOMEWHAT HAPPY C-3.4 SOMEWHAT HAPPY NEUTRAL/AVERAGE UTILITY'S COMMITMENT TO RENEWABLE/GREEN SOURCES OF ENERGY NATIONWIDE O PEOPLE USING SOLAR POWER O PEOPLE USING GRID POWER LONG ISLAND POWER AUTHORITY Serving Long Island. New York AVERAGE C-3.1 C -29 --33 JERSEY CENTRAL POWER & LIGHT Serving New Jersey AVERAGE PACIFIC GAS & ELECTRIC --23 PECO COMPANY Serving Northern California Serving Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and surrounding areas BELOW AVERAGE C-28 -3.0 LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT AVERAGE AVERAGE OF WATER AND POWER Serving Los Angeles, California OC-25 AVERAGE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON Serving parts of central, coastal, and southern CON EDISON California Serving New York City and Westchester County, New York O C-28 AVERAGE AVERAGE SAN DIEGO GAS & ELECTRIC Serving San Diego, California and surrounding areas ENTERGY CORPORATION DOMINION RESOURCES --24 Serving Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas Serving parts of Virginia and North Carolina D-2.0 BELOW AVERAGE |C-28 BELOW AVERAGE AVERAGE NATIONWIDE REPORT CARD: SOLAR VERSUS GRID Overall, utility companies aren't doing an amazing job in the public's eyes. Both solar- and grid-powered consumers are lukewarm on their company's overall performance and commitment to renewables. Fair pricing is a top issue for many, but more than 1 in 10 people using grid power think their company needs to step up its renewable alternatives. GENERAL HAPPINESS WITH UTILITY COMPANY AREAS WITH ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT O PEOPLE USING SOLAR POWER PEOPLE USING GRID POWER O PEOPLE USING SOLAR POWER Pricing/fairness Clarity of of pricing Customer o Availability o Metering of power NEUTRAL/AVERAGE monthly bills Increase renewable options service issues O AN of the above No complaints -3.4 -3.3 5% 3% 34% 24% 16% 5% 3% 10% UTILITY'S COMMITMENT TO RENEWABLE/GREEN SOURCES OF ELECTRICITY 4 PEOPLE USING GRID POWER O PEOPLE USING SOLAR POWER PEOPLE USING GRID POWER Pricing/fairness of pricing Clarity of monthly bills Availability of alternative energy Availability of power Customer service AVERAGE Other O No complaints 46% 15% 13% 9% 6% 8% 3% 3.1 -2.9 SHOULD UTILITY COMPANIES BE ABLE TO CHARGE O PEOPLE USING SOLAR POWER A PEOPLE USING GRID POWER HOUSEHOLDS HIGHER RATES FOR RENEWABLE/GREEN SOURCES OF ELECTRICITY? ·13% NOT SURE - 16% NOT SURE -62% NO NO 39% YES 22% YES SPOTLIGHT ON SOLAR Many homeowners or renters who have switched to solar power report having a smooth experience. However, concerns remain about whether they're being fairly compensated for energy fed back into the grid. HOW FAIRLY DO YOU THINK YOU'RE COMPENSATED BY YOUR HOW EASY (0R DIFFICULT) DID YOUR UTILITY MAKE IT FOR YOU TO SWITCH TO SOLAR? UTILITY FOR THE EXCESS SOLAR ENERGY YOU FEED BACK INTO THE GRID? SOMEWHAT EASY, BUT THERE'S ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT NEUTRAL 3.9 3.1 One Block A Off the Grid SOURCE: IBOG POLL OF MORE THAN 200 RESPONDENTS WITH HOME SOLAR- OR GRID-FED POWER CONDUCTED IN JUNE 2012. THE SMART, NEW WAY TO GO SOLAR HTTP://1воG.ORG