A Dose of Reality

A Message from Ricardo Dew:

While people are talking about what they think and what they would like to see happen, I ask that you take a 'reality check" of all that's going on. I want you to understand something . . . ElectriCities does not hold our debt. The only thing ElectriCities does for the 32 municipalities within the NCEMPA is to manage them. They don't sell, buy or transmit power. They manage what we have in the power plants. There are five power plants and we get our power from all of them.

We, the City of Wilson (COW) own about 18% of them and they produce only about 75% of the power that the 32 cities and towns needs. We then buy 25% of what is called supplemental power which makes up the 100% we need.

We pay for 18% of the operating cost of those plants. As you know, we pay 9.3 cent per KWh and the COW then adds to that where it costs 14.38 cent per KWh. They claim its to cover the cost of WE employees, fleet maintenance and other associated cost involved in getting power to your house.

I've explained all that to say this, in a recent interview with the local newspaper an administrator of the Facebook Group called, Tired of Paying High Utility Bills in Eastern NC was asked what he believed the efforts of the group would achieve. His response was utility rate parity. I am here to tell you, unfortunately that will never happen. Let me tell you why.

Based on what I've just explained each city or town goes through the same process as Wilson. And what's important to remember is that everybody under the ElectriCities umbrella doesn't have a city-owned electric system such as Wilson. Their operating cost will always be different. In addition, the particular needs of their community are different than those in Wilson or any other ElectriCities community. Therefore, there would never be parity, with parity meaning the same (utility rate) for all 32 ElectriCities and towns across the board.

There's plenty of information out there to read and interpret, however I suggest that in all your getting make sure you get the right information and a better understanding. Mis-information is wrong information. Just like practice. Practice doesn't make perfect if you've been practicing the wrong way.

It is our effort in this community crisis to work together for the greater good and common cause of all the citizens' in this city. Not a few, not a chosen or selected few, not just the privileged or the elite or upper class. ALL citizens in this community are feeling the effects of these high utility rates. This issue is not a segregated issue. This is not an East Wilson problem or a West Wilson issue. There is no need for citizens to believe this to be true. Regardless of where you live in the city of Wilson, WE HAVE A PROBLEM. And WE MUST find a way to work together as a community to resolve it.

YOU can start by attending the next community meeting to be held on Tuesday, March 16th at First Baptist Church located at 311 W Nash St. It starts at 6:30pm. There is power in numbers. The Facebook Group has proven that to be true. There are now over 3000 folks who have signed on. With ALL our voices lifted together, WE CAN and WILL make a difference. WE already have.

Become a part of a change that's needed. And that's a "Dose of Reality." I hope to see you at the meeting.

Ricardo