Readers of this echo may be interested in how U.S. power rates
compare with those in other countries.
 
A magazine I receive at work in connection with one of my job
duties to monitor energy costs, "Energy Users News", reports
these comparative rates for 15 countries.  The rates are for
large users with electric demand greater than 1,000 KW,  usage
greater than 450,000 kwh/ month, and who owned a transformer.
(Utilities usually charge a rate several cents/kwh lower if the
customer supplies the sub-station and the stepdown transformer at
the service entrance point.)
 
Rank    Country    Cents/Kwh      % change from '95
 
1       Spain        10.66             0.00 
2       Germany      10.22            -8.89
3       Italy         9.56             2.47
4       Belgium       9.07             0.00
5       Netherlands   7.70             1.58
6       Ireland       7.69             5.20
7       France        7.40            -1.33
8       U.S.A.        7.13             0.50
9       U.K.          6.18            -1.60
10      Finland       5.67             1.25
11      Norway        5.25             0.96
12      Australia     4.89             0.00
13      Sweden        4.62            -1.70
14      Canada        4.26             0.00
15      S. Africa     3.96             7.90
 
Prices in the USA vary widely, of course, ranging from the mid to
high teens in Hawaii and NYC/Long Island to 3 - 3.5 cents/kwh in
Idaho and Washington State.
 
Residential rates are normally (in the U.S. at least)
substantially higher than industrial rates, even though
residential users are subsidised, as a class, buy the industrial
and commercial rate classes.
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