Rising Energy Costs, Don't Blame the Utility

I was just reading an article on the reasoning for increases in electric rates starting in January (http://www.jsonline.com/business/128109718.html). This isn't the only utility that will be raising your rates due to unfunded mandates handed down from the all powerful Federal Government without any input from your elected officials. Expect your water and sewer rates to go up as well. Federal and State mandates on utilities are driving up consumer costs to force you to lower your standard of living. The City of Carl Junction is about to have to spend millions of dollars on a waste water plant expansion and upgrade, not because we have too many users, but because for about 3 months out of 12 we get enough rain and still have enough infiltration that the plant gets overloaded. We can't do anything to increase storage capacity so this can be treated later so we have to expand the plant. It doesn't matter that the rest of the year the plant runs at less than 50% of capacity most of the time. This is unsustainable and must be stopped.