side note... Re: [at-l] energy clarification

[sloetoe@yahoo.com (Sloetoe)]

--- Rich Bowyer <halflifelost6@hotmail.com> wrote:
> ~~Actually what they do is pump water up at night.

> Here is why they do it.  Electrical generation has a cost
> and part of that cost is starting up machinery as well as wear
and tear from starting and shuting down.  Machinery life is
usually longer when machines run continous.
> Rich

### Actually, Rich, the reason is short term cost, not
maintenance. Running a plant "dumbly", as you note, will
certainly raise overall operating costs and shorten component
lives, but the REALLY big, and *immediate* impact, comes from
the disparities between base load ($0.02/kW) versus
intermediate/shoulder ($0.04-0.08/kW) to peaking units
($0.09-0.14/kW). Doesn't change your point any, but it allows
the utility to charge the grid at a pittance above baseload,
during a time of day when their alternative is going a dime or
better.

Best, 
Econotoe

=====
Spatior, Nitor, Nitor, In Nitor!

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