Open Letter to Xcel Energy

Open Letter to Xcel Energy

This is a letter (which I will actually send to the home office of my energy company, Xcel).  Every month, I receive this letter (see the picture) which costs them money, that I have to actually pay for because I know they use money that I pay for my bill to create this thing.  A human person must calculate the information, format the letter, have it printed, get it into the envelope on which postage must be affixed (according to the envelope, “PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID HEDERMAN DIRECT [whatever that means]).”  And, the postman must deliver it.  This is all costs money to accomplish; I wonder what it all costs to send out thousands and thousands of these letters!  So, here is my letter to Frenzel, president and CEO of Xcel energy.

Bob Frenzel

President and CEO

Xcel Energy

414 Nicollett Mall

Minneapolis, MN 56401

 Subject:  Your letter of date unknown                October Report

Dear Mr. Frenzel:

I am in receipt of yet another “monthly report,” telling me how poorly I am doing where my consumption of energy (both electricity and natural gas) compares to “similar nearby homes.”  “Nearby homes”  – Hmmm.  I have asked this question¸ before and had no response.  Do you not respond to people asking questions?  Where, exactly, have you found these “nearby homes” to which my home and use are being compared?  Will you give me the addresses of these “nearby homes?”  Can you even identify those “nearby homes?”

Where did you find a home containing ONE adult female person living there, with ONE little dog?  And one Russian tortoise?  A home with the same square footage as my house?  A home with the same ceiling height and insulation as my home?  A home where the occupant is home most of the time?  Has the same number of computers that are in my home?  A home where the owner takes a shower, maybe, three times per week?  A home where the owner does wash her dishes once per day in a dishwasher, but has the dishwasher set on no drying programmed?  Where the owner NEVER uses the garbage disposal?  Washes and dries no more than three loads of clothing per week?  Has no air conditioner?  Where the owner keeps the refrigerator and the freezer in the refrigerator full?  Has the house thermostat set at the temperature of 55 degrees, at night (when the furnace is used; I also use a wood stove for heat when appropriate; and, right now, the thermostat is set at 68 and house temperature is 68, and “Alexa” says the outside temp is 29 degrees!)?  And, never higher than 70 during the day – actually, usually, set at 65-68 degrees during the day.  And, where no children live?  Where is this household where cooking is the prerogative of the microwave; not the ovens or top of the stove which takes longer and is more expensive than the microwave?

Where the single occupant wears a CPAP mask during the night, and runs an oxygen concentrator during sleeping hours (health reasons, you know)?  Where is such another “nearby” household?  As long as we’re discussing health issues, let’s discuss the use of lamps, ceiling, table and floor lamps, and side lights actually used for seeing.  Because I have macular degeneration, having work areas well lighted is crucial to my vision.  So, yes, I leave those lights on when I leave an area of the house; in that way, when I walk back into a room or hallway, or start down the stairs, etc., I can see where I’m going without fear of falling or stumbling over some thing that is in the room something that would not be visible without those lights.  Even during the day.  I remember, as a child (in the 1940s) living in a house where room lights hung from a single cord from the ceiling and, to turn them on, someone had to walk into the center of the room and try to find the light switch on the light.  Fortunately, times have changed!

But, back to your letter that has little houses with “clever” little faces on them; one indicates “How You’re (me) Doing.”  Clever me – I’m doing fair.  The written information says that my natural gas usage is 11 therms (whatever that means- rated “fair”), while those similar houses used 14 therms.  “Efficient nearby homes used 5 therms.’  Again, whatever that means.  The letter says my usage was 837 KWh; similar houses, 716 kWh, with efficient homes using 275 kWh.  Again, do these people live in the dark, keep dirty dishes in their sinks, and wear filthy clothing?

Another section of your letter is “Your balance.” You actually use money that you get from me and other customers to pay for gift cards for other people!  How about applying that money to pay my bills?

I could go on and on and on …  But, with all of this, you should get my point.  Prove to me that you are comparing my household with like households.  Or, better yet, send me someone of your employees who can give me those addresses with the similar expenditures and suggest real corrections to my way of consuming energy

 

Be safe and be well.

The Cranky Crone

Thoughtful comments are greatly appreciated.