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by brianwawok 1941 days ago
Wait, but you did have a choice in picking this utility bill. Your choice was:

a) (default choice): Use as much power you as you want, 12c a kWh, it never changes.

b) (other supplier choice): Pay market rate! Currently only 9c a kWh, save 3c per kWh! (Until this event, when it went to $1000 a kWh).

Consumer opted into B to save some cash, but got hit with the downside of their bet.

1 comments

...and somehow everyone is surprised that consumers do a bad job at assessing risk.

It’s an unconscionable business model with no guardrails. Commercial users don’t sign up for rates like that without breakers or hedges.

And commercial users tend to be more sophisticated.

So then we just ban users from such programs?

(I don't know the answer, but this ends up down a pretty strict path of not letting you hurt yourself).