Rising electricity costs, reflected in big increase in supercharger rates

[dbartram]

Just home from a trip to France, I used the Northampton supercharger last night, was shocked to see a rate of 37p per Kwh. I know there's a gas shortage here, leading to a rise in electricity prices -- but a ~20% increase in the rate is pretty significant. (I have no idea what's happening with petrol prices.)

It reinforces an impression I've had: the supercharging network forms the basis for quasi-monopoly behaviour on Tesla's part. Using other charging networks is possible -- but it's harder and slower to use other networks, and so the company can (and surely does) exploit the situation to charge a premium, over & above what the wholesale cost of electricity would justify.

PS: the roads in France were a delight, and returning to UK roads was very unpleasant...

 

[Peter 224]

With 24 hour forward spot prices at £5.00/kwh it is hardly surprising.
We are on a fixed rate package with Scottish Power that costs me £0.155/kwh, thank goodness. When it ends in March next year I expect a rather unpleasant surprise.
Petrol prices are also up, Unleaded is around £1.35/L, Premium unleaded pushing £1.50.

 

[PITA]

I always find coming back to UK roads very unpleasant... until you can get off the beaten track

 

[RedMod3]

I've just had a 50% increase in electric supply to our house. Moved to Octopus on Monday and now desperate for a Smart meter and the GO tariff! Still much cheaper to charge at home than our local superchargers that are 5 miles away and which I have never used and hope never to use.

 

[Irata]

This just shows to me how little contingency we have in our energy system. For something so critical to the nation, a fault in one supply link or two should not make prices jump.

I'm not suggesting it's a capacity issue (since we keep being told there isn't), I'm suggesting its a contingency issue.

The counter argument is that it's an unprecedented situation, well it always is when it's not been planned for.

 

[Peter 224]

The UK capacity to provide sufficient electricity at all times depends on a number of assumptions about the cost of natural gas, the availability of wind, sunlight and buying from France.
The supply shortage of the last 2 weeks shows that individually the assumptions may be correct, collectively they are not.
It will only take another hike in natural gas supply to push us into shortages. And guess which country controls natural gas supply and pricing?

 

[dbartram]

And guess which country controls natural gas supply and pricing?

Brexit means that the UK is a totally sovereign nation, completely in charge of its own destiny

A country that can sell fruit & veg using pounds and ounces (avoiding the tyranny of kg) can do anything!

 

[kuruma]

I always find coming back to UK roads very unpleasant... until you can get off the beaten track

you clearly need to get out more ... of the continent that is.

Try driving in the Middle East and you will kiss the tarmac when you get back here.

 

[speedyranger74]

you clearly need to get out more ... of the continent that is.

Try driving in the Middle East and you will kiss the tarmac when you get back here.

What mean?
Which country?

 

[Adopado]

Try driving in the Middle East and you will kiss the tarmac when you get back here.

Do you mean Norwich?

 

[NewbieT]

Wonder if Tesla are ‘winning’ with autobidder, i.e. without it SuCs would be even more expensive?

Tesla just completed a 34 megawatt battery facility in Sussex and they’re building another 99MW site in Essex. Maybe they can use them to shift SuC demand off-peak (or whether they just operate them for Natgrid / have no control).

Tesla batteries to bring more renewables to West Sussex grid - Energy Live News

UK Power Networks connected one of the UK’s biggest battery storage power stations to the electricity network in Burgess Hill, West Sussex

www.energylivenews.com

UK's biggest battery storage project gets underway, using 198MWh of Tesla Megapacks

Work has started at a battery storage site lauded as the largest of its kind under construction in the UK by developers Harmony Energy and Fotowatio Renewable Ventures (FRV).

www.energy-storage.news

 

[oOoBu11sEyeoOo]

Just home from a trip to France, I used the Northampton supercharger last night, was shocked to see a rate of 37p per Kwh. I know there's a gas shortage here, leading to a rise in electricity prices -- but a ~20% increase in the rate is pretty significant. (I have no idea what's happening with petrol prices.)

It reinforces an impression I've had: the supercharging network forms the basis for quasi-monopoly behaviour on Tesla's part. Using other charging networks is possible -- but it's harder and slower to use other networks, and so the company can (and surely does) exploit the situation to charge a premium, over & above what the wholesale cost of electricity would justify.

PS: the roads in France were a delight, and returning to UK roads was very unpleasant...

This has been the price for the local supercharges for me since early august (I didn’t check before then)

 

[btc1k]

Just home from a trip to France, I used the Northampton supercharger last night, was shocked to see a rate of 37p per Kwh. I know there's a gas shortage here, leading to a rise in electricity prices -- but a ~20% increase in the rate is pretty significant. (I have no idea what's happening with petrol prices.)

It reinforces an impression I've had: the supercharging network forms the basis for quasi-monopoly behaviour on Tesla's part. Using other charging networks is possible -- but it's harder and slower to use other networks, and so the company can (and surely does) exploit the situation to charge a premium, over & above what the wholesale cost of electricity would justify.

PS: the roads in France were a delight, and returning to UK roads was very unpleasant...

All the networks charge a "premium" over the wholesale rate - it is how they payback their significant investments, maintain their infrastructure, run back office functions and hopefully make a tiny bit of profit once all said and done....

 

[Rustybkts]

Just home from a trip to France, I used the Northampton supercharger last night, was shocked to see a rate of 37p per Kwh.

I think this was just a time of day issue as my daughter borrowed my car for the weekend, topped up at a London Service Centre SC and was charged 22p/kWh.
Not bad for London!
Looking back I have been charged up to 36p/kWh at Scotch Corner and 32p/kWh at Woodall.

I wonder if the increased charge covers a kickback to the Hotel/land owner as an SC wouldn't need to add that cost to the SuperCharger bill.

Oddly, the cheapest this year was at the Heathrow Hilton at 20p/kWh so it looks as though my reasoning is wrong.

 

[Alex987854]

At 37p/kwh you still get 6x10^23 electrons for a penny.

 

[MrBadger]

Is that new or old money?

 

[Alex987854]

Is that new or old money?

That's a little classist isn't it?

 

[pdk42]

At 37p/kwh you still get 6x10^23 electrons for a penny.

You’re not buying electrons.

 

[joanfa]

Indeed the same case for me...after a 2,500 mile trip around Europe this summer, coming back to UK (free Motorways) roads is very unpleasant...but my wallet feels heavier (Tolls in France are a killer).

Also noticed the huge spike in the SC cost! I thought i was looking at €/KWh but no! I have started to consider using other cheaper providers (will they rise the prices also?) which won't be as convenient as the SC but if travelling far it can make a big difference.

The ones I try to use if I have enough time and they are not very far from my route are the Lidl (50 KW), which at 25 p/KWh are the cheapest I think. Unless you can find the very rare free 50 KW chargers...

 

[Jason71]

You’re not buying electrons.

True, its more of a swap. But I think we are getting ripped off. We should be getting a rebate for the used ones we return for recycling