Time to give electricity the flick?

Forums › Home Workshop DIY › Time to give electricity the flick?

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3885 posts

Uber Geek

#1586856 6-Jul-2016 01:04

@zerkms the low user rate has higher per unit costs. The cutoff is 667 units per month. More than this you will be better off as a standard user. Also the rules make assumptions on how much of your usage is controlled and uncontrolled and / or day and night. If you have different usage ratios. This would also affect if you should be on standard user or low user.

Also keep in mind that if you are on low user. And you happen to have an unusually large bill that takes you way over the 667 unit cutoff. That bill will be very expensive for the month. So sometimes it is better to be on standard user even if the raw usage says that low user is better. So you don't have as much winter bill shock. And you also get bragging rights from having a lower unit rate.

voy1d

175 posts

Master Geek

#1594812 19-Jul-2016 04:21

An energy price of around $100k at a node dictates an infeasibility in reserves. i.e. there is insufficient FIR/SIR to cover the risk and so limits the price at $100k (or $200k if both are infeasible)

An energy price of around $500k at a node dictates an infeasibility in energy.

If these happen in realtime they tend to "wash out" when it comes to the final pricing run.

dantheperson

83 posts

Master Geek

#1595592 20-Jul-2016 12:46

And whats that mean in plain english?

timmmay

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#1595617 20-Jul-2016 13:27

dantheperson: And whats that mean in plain english?

Prices are very high when demand is high, but it's often reconsidered and lowered later.

Aredwood

3885 posts

Uber Geek

#1595905 20-Jul-2016 22:31

Interesting - Flick said in their latest bill that the prices for 11/7/16 are still interim. So far today they still are. (which means that Flick has marked that day as estimated prices). Presumably someone has challenged them which would explain why they are not final yet. The only possible problem I can see is that they were quite low for the whole day. Good for me as the wholesale price for my node at 5pm was only 4.9c per unit. But a definite problem for the generators.

Posting this to provide some balance to the above posts about price spikes.

And for those wanting to know what FIR and SIR are

https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLXUccGn4ptEOiBgyrpEYMIl0xvB4W67qK&v=fPmJFfKn4zk

Playlist from Transpower explaining how the power reserves system works.

(edit - couldn't figure out how to embed a youtube playlist instead of only 1 video)

voy1d

175 posts

Master Geek

#1595907 20-Jul-2016 22:44

Aredwood:

Interesting - Flick said in their latest bill that the prices for 11/7/16 are still interim. So far today they still are.

There is a pricing error claim in I believe in relation to the metering at one of the generation nodes.

timmmay

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#1595979 21-Jul-2016 07:55

Interesting video series, but it lost me near the end. The playlist works fine.

timmmay

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#1598679 26-Jul-2016 07:44

Prices are extremely high in the North Island right now - 1000X times higher than normal. Hopefully this one equalises out. Not sure why it's so high, the South Island prices are normal and the link cable has spare capacity.

surfisup1000

4745 posts

Uber Geek

#1598732 26-Jul-2016 09:08

timmmay:

Prices are extremely high in the North Island right now - 1000X times higher than normal. Hopefully this one equalises out. Not sure why it's so high, the South Island prices are normal and the link cable has spare capacity.

Doesn't 1 day at 1000x a higher price wipe out an entire years benefit of being on wholesale rates?

It seems amazing that prices can go that high -- effectively they are telling everyone to shutdown for the day, which would make the NZ power market more like zimbabwe!!!

[edit] it seems to me, this market structure encourages lack of investment and shortages.

timmmay

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#1598785 26-Jul-2016 10:05

surfisup1000:

Doesn't 1 day at 1000x a higher price wipe out an entire years benefit of being on wholesale rates?

It seems amazing that prices can go that high -- effectively they are telling everyone to shutdown for the day, which would make the NZ power market more like zimbabwe!!!

[edit] it seems to me, this market structure encourages lack of investment and shortages.

High prices aren't actual prices, they're just the market's way of encouraging additional generation to come online quickly. The prices rationalise down to regular levels a few days later. Have a look at the youtube video series posted on the last page, it's pretty interesting.

We had a few spikes last year and I saved around $650. We have a few more spikes this winter, but I expect to save more this year, as I've put hot water on a timer. The hot water timer hasn't done as much as I'd expected though, it has taken my average weekly savings from the 20-25% range to the 30- 35% range. Saving an additional 10% is good though, long term it makes sense, and it reduces your vulnerability to spikes.

Beccara

1285 posts

Uber Geek

#1598786 26-Jul-2016 10:07

Looks like a few issues today

Link #1

Link #2

Link #3

Most problems are the result of previous solutions...

All comment's I make are my own personal opinion and do not in any way, shape or form reflect the views of current or former employers unless specifically stated

nickb800

2438 posts

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#1599198 26-Jul-2016 19:55

Just got my first bill - 44% cheaper than previous provider. Largely thanks to Orion's peak/shoulder/off-peak rates and a timer on the hot water cylinder.

I have been thinking though, we all assume that we can switch to a mainstream provider in a dry hydro year. But would they be signing on new customers in the middle of such a crisis, knowing that they'll be making a huge loss on that customer for the first say month? Can anyone remember switching power company last time we had a power crisis?

TonyS071

57 posts

Master Geek
Inactive user

#1599202 26-Jul-2016 20:04

Still patchy notifications from Flick about price excursions. I actually learned about their mornings $pikes first from you fine people , then via the Nodewatch email robot. Sadly, the one place I wanted to hear it from, Flicks app, DIDNT do the business when it really mattered.

timmmay

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#1599236 26-Jul-2016 20:55

I don't know if you can switch suppliers during a crisis year. They may have long term contracts, and you can sign up online.

The Choice app has been working well for me today, lots of alerts. I use EM6 too.

voy1d

175 posts

Master Geek

#1599241 26-Jul-2016 20:59

timmmay:

I don't know if you can switch suppliers during a crisis year. They may have long term contracts, and you can sign up online.

As long as you are not locked into a contract for a period of time, as a residential consumer you are free to switch as you want - there are no restrictions on movement.

If you lock yourself into a term contract (also advertised as a "fixed price" contract) then you could switch you might just need to pay a break fee.

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