Caroline Cournoyer is GOVERNING's deputy web editor.
E-mail: ccournoyer@governing.comTwitter: @governing
Idea Center
Prepaying for Electricity in Ocala, Fla.
Residents will have the option to pay their electricity usage similar to how they pay for gas.
Related Articles
Opening up the electricity bill will no longer be a surprise to residents of Ocala, Fla. Set to start in May, the city will give residents (and potentially some small businesses) the option of prepaying for their electricity, according to the Ocala Star-Banner. In this respect, buying electricity would be similar to buying gas for your car – you only buy what you need. In the pilot, participants can figure out how much energy they have used, how much they have left, and fill up accounts by going online at anytime or contacting the utility office during business hours. In addition, customers can pop into one of 15 locations around town to buy more energy. Not only will participating residents say goodbye to late and connection fees but City Manager Matt Brower told the Star-Banner that he expects the pilot will encourage people to be more conservative with their energy consumption. Habits like falling asleep to the TV may become a thing of the past.
If you enjoyed this post, subscribe for updates.
Twitter: @governing
Columns
- A Third Way for Public Pensions: Adjustable Pension Plans
- Defined-benefit plans put all the risk on states and localities; defined-contribution plans put it all on employees. Now there's a new approach to risk sharing.
- Bike Lane Battles Heat Up
- Cities like San Francisco and Chicago are running into resistance from drivers as they try to meet demand for more bike lanes.
Twitter
Facebook
LinkedIn
YouTube
Flickr
RSS
© 2011 e.Republic, Inc. All Rights reserved. |