ELECTRICITY COSTS TO JUMP
In our march to save our planet, will our energy costs rise too high to afford our homes?
Here in Shell Knob, Missouri - the heart of the Ozarks, we rely strongly on electric co-ops for our power. Congress has begun debating national energy, and I can't help but recall what Candidate OBama said about making coal too expensive so as to shut down coal producers.
That is all well and good for clean air, but the reality is that coal provides 62% of our Co-op Power. As prices go up on coal, the cost will be passed on to the consumer. The average price nationwide, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, is currently 10.65 cents per kwh. In a recent Rural Arkansas magazine, they predicted rates to climb to 30, 40 or 50 percent.
I wonder what type of power our buyers will prefer in their home purchase. Shell Knob is a strong retirement community. People have fixed incomes when they retire, which is why we draw many to our low cost of living here. Solar and Wind power would provide only a small percentage of the need. Energy costs could become a big plus for the newer "Green" homes.
