Power Company Gets Payola

In a payola scheme that just chafes my glutes raw, the FirstEnergy Corp. has political cover to charge its customers for nothing. That's right. NOTHING! For nothing in return, FirstEnergy is allowed to pick more than $12 out of the pocket of each Ohio customer.

The utility will charge customers about 60 cents a month for three years in exchange for delivering the compact fluorescent bulbs to the door or mailbox.

The average residential customer will pay $21.60 over three years for the two 23-watt CFLs, which are equivalent to 100-watt incandescent bulbs.

Retailers sell the CFLs for about $9 a pair.

Ellen Raines, a FirstEnergy spokeswoman, said the utility is permitted to recoup the cost of the bulbs, their delivery and the power that the customer would have used if they didn’t install the bulbs.

It's the socialist dream. Make energy pricing totally independent of demand. Cost to the customer will be determined by edict of the energy commissar.

I contend that the confiscation of my property by FirstEnergy is simple theft. It might be sanctioned by slimy politicos in Columbus, but that doesn't alleviate the feeling of being scammed.

The Ohio Consumers' Counsel will entertain complaints at (877)742-5622.