Theoretically, yes. State legislation requires PG&E to pay consumers for overproduction. In the past, at the annual settlement date, the utility kept the overproduction but charged for any underproduction. Now, by contrast, they are required to pay, but they pay at a rate they call "wholesale." For the last two years, we've had a credit balance at the end of the year of $400, but the wholesale value for that has been $20, so you can see there's a pretty good mark-up in the utility business. The practical answer to your question is: "No!" mm
|