NV Energy Wants More Money

Lights Optional Though

Well, friends, it appears that NV Energy, that noble steward of electrical reliability, has once again demonstrated its unique talent for charging more while delivering less. Nearly 27,000 souls in Douglas County were treated to a midweek surprise when the power up and vanished, leaving folks squinting in the darkness and wondering whether they had inadvertently moved to the 19th century.

No one knows why the outage happened, though one suspects NV Energy might classify that information under “state secrets.” Perhaps it was the weather, or maybe it was just Tuesday at the NV Energy control room.

Most customers eventually had their power restored, but a few unlucky stragglers in South Lake Tahoe continued their forced experiment in frontier living. Local businesses, of course, bore the brunt of the inconvenience.

Adding to the amusement–NV Energy’s communication strategy appeared to consist of sending out vague estimates, only to revise them into meaninglessness a short while later. If there’s a skill NV Energy has mastered, it’s that.

And yet, despite this triumph in unreliable service, the company is beseeching the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada to let them raise rates. Yes, dear reader, in the grand tradition of corporate audacity, NV Energy has concluded that the best way to remedy its shortcomings is to charge its customers more for the privilege of being left in the dark.

Meanwhile, as Nevada summers remain hot, some lawmakers want to prevent residents from baking in their homes like unattended pot roasts. Enter Assemblywoman Cinthia Moore, who has floated legislation that would prevent shut-offs in extreme heat, an idea borrowed from Arizona—where at least one woman perished after losing power over a mere $51 shortfall.

NV Energy assures customers that they are paying less for their energy than last year, though those left sweating in the heat and fumbling in the darkness may find that cold comfort. But don’t worry—if the power goes out again, remember–the rate hike is coming, and that candlelit lifestyle might soon cost you a premium.