Metering is fair to everyone. Let the lite users pay their own tiny bill and the heavy users pay their own massive bill. Lite users shouldn't have to subsidize the heavy users. Everyone has their own way of camping and it's all good.
In our state it is not legal to "resale" electricity. We can charge for the amount used at the rate we paid for it plus the sales tax. Our campground has meters on all of the full hook up sites so we can charge our seasonal campers monthly for the electricity they use but we do not meter short term stays. Electricity, sewer, water, and trash collection are all part of our overhead costs and we track them all very closely. Electricity is the most expensive at nearly 3 times the total of the others.
We have had some angst about charging small trailers the same as 42 foot "coaches" until you add in that those trailers need our showerhouse. They like it to be warm on the cold days and cool on the hot days. They like long, hot showers and hot water in the sinks. We also have to spend time keeping them clean and functioning properly. Taking this into account kinda levels the field just a bit.
We have considered charging more for RVs that require a 50 amp hookup but it would just complicate the check in process.
I do, all too often, walk by an empty RV with the people gone and the A/C running but after I mention to those people that it really doesn't take long to cool an RV down they usually correct that annoying habit. The same thing happens in our small motel all too often but I can let myself in to correct that.
We still have reasonable rates and do all we can to maintain them.
I think there is a middle ground. Overnight or short-stay campsites (less than a week) should include the cost of electricity in the daily site fee. They should specifically prohibit the charging of EVs and other power-intensive devices to keep the cost predictable for themselves and for campers. It may not be efficient to read a meter for a transient camper, if a meter exists at all at the site. Longer-term campers (1 week plus) should definitely pay a metered rate for their electricity based on consumption. A 50A rig capable of consuming up to 12,000 watts should pay more than a 30A rig that is capable of consuming 3,600 watts (less than a third of a 50A rig). Metered sites should still prohibit the charging of EVs and other power-intensive devices. EV charging should be limited to dedicated charging stations inside or outside the campground and should have their own separate rates. The cost/kWh is a touchy topic. Most people don’t know that RV parks and campgrounds are typically considered business customers of an electric utility and, therefore, pay higher commercial rates for electricity than residential customers do. Some parks mark up the cost/kWh considerably as as an additional revenue/profit source. I suggest that the cost/kWh should include 1) the commercial rate charged by the utility; 2) the cost of maintaining the electrical infrastructure, including the pedestals, serving the campsites; 3) the labor and administrative costs of reading the meters, recording the consumption/site, and preparing the customer invoice, and; 4) a modest profit for the business. Electricity to a campsite is a service and the cost of providing that service should be covered entirely by the consumption charge. Businesses need to make a profit to have funds to invest in future upgrades, expansion, rising costs, and pay their employees.
Perhaps campground owners could take advantage of Gov’t and EV manufacturers incentives and install EV charging stations in the campground parking area, then do not allow EV charging at the site pedestals.
My opinion, do not meter for overnight stays, campground rates are more than enough to cover one night stays. Extended stays should be metered but only equal to the amount the utility company has set. That way it doesn't matter how many a/c's a unit has, you're paying for what you use.
The cost of electric on an RV site. An acquaintance of ours rented out their RV lot for a month, the pedestal was metered. The lot was equipped with an outdoor kitchen and pergola. Site cameras showed the renters left the outdoor electric heaters running constantly even while inside the RV, and they were charging their undisclosed EV. The electric bill for the month was over $1100. Ouch!
Now, as far as the discussion about paying for power, I often do (if staying a month or more, usually near the grandkids), and then when traveling, usually not.
But I hope the group realizes that the daily charges will go up, not down. The camps will have to pay to upgrade their infrastructure to handle the overall increase in power usage whether or not they go the route of individual charges. As Mike mentioned, this could be half a million dollars, or more. Camps must pass this cost on or die. The only way to avoid this is to boondock and have or make your own power. Depending on how you do that, it might not be cheap either. Litium batteries and solar panels are still fairly expensive and running a generator is more expensive than paying for electricity.
I do have a bit of an issue with that. The short term people are not subsidizing the the snowbirds, it is all about supply and demand. It is common for longer terms to be less expensive than shorter terms on a daily basis, simply because people will pay it. And if they will pay it, camps are going to charge it. People pay more per night for an air BNB than you would rent a place for a month. You pay more for a month by month rental than for a yearly lease. And it is also about the landlord knowing that site or apartment or house is filled instead of possibly bringing in no revenue part of the time.
LIke Tim noted, we have little issue with paying for what we use. What we have issue with is if they charge us to help pay all the permanent and snowbirds staying long term in campground. This is by no means an attack on those who camp long term......just about fairness. Thanks for reading.
Metering is fair to everyone. Let the lite users pay their own tiny bill and the heavy users pay their own massive bill. Lite users shouldn't have to subsidize the heavy users. Everyone has their own way of camping and it's all good.
In our state it is not legal to "resale" electricity. We can charge for the amount used at the rate we paid for it plus the sales tax. Our campground has meters on all of the full hook up sites so we can charge our seasonal campers monthly for the electricity they use but we do not meter short term stays. Electricity, sewer, water, and trash collection are all part of our overhead costs and we track them all very closely. Electricity is the most expensive at nearly 3 times the total of the others.
We have had some angst about charging small trailers the same as 42 foot "coaches" until you add in that those trailers need our showerhouse. They like it to be warm on the cold days and cool on the hot days. They like long, hot showers and hot water in the sinks. We also have to spend time keeping them clean and functioning properly. Taking this into account kinda levels the field just a bit.
We have considered charging more for RVs that require a 50 amp hookup but it would just complicate the check in process.
I do, all too often, walk by an empty RV with the people gone and the A/C running but after I mention to those people that it really doesn't take long to cool an RV down they usually correct that annoying habit. The same thing happens in our small motel all too often but I can let myself in to correct that.
We still have reasonable rates and do all we can to maintain them.
Maybe a lower base price then meter if they’re using extra air conditioning units.
I think there is a middle ground. Overnight or short-stay campsites (less than a week) should include the cost of electricity in the daily site fee. They should specifically prohibit the charging of EVs and other power-intensive devices to keep the cost predictable for themselves and for campers. It may not be efficient to read a meter for a transient camper, if a meter exists at all at the site. Longer-term campers (1 week plus) should definitely pay a metered rate for their electricity based on consumption. A 50A rig capable of consuming up to 12,000 watts should pay more than a 30A rig that is capable of consuming 3,600 watts (less than a third of a 50A rig). Metered sites should still prohibit the charging of EVs and other power-intensive devices. EV charging should be limited to dedicated charging stations inside or outside the campground and should have their own separate rates. The cost/kWh is a touchy topic. Most people don’t know that RV parks and campgrounds are typically considered business customers of an electric utility and, therefore, pay higher commercial rates for electricity than residential customers do. Some parks mark up the cost/kWh considerably as as an additional revenue/profit source. I suggest that the cost/kWh should include 1) the commercial rate charged by the utility; 2) the cost of maintaining the electrical infrastructure, including the pedestals, serving the campsites; 3) the labor and administrative costs of reading the meters, recording the consumption/site, and preparing the customer invoice, and; 4) a modest profit for the business. Electricity to a campsite is a service and the cost of providing that service should be covered entirely by the consumption charge. Businesses need to make a profit to have funds to invest in future upgrades, expansion, rising costs, and pay their employees.
Perhaps campground owners could take advantage of Gov’t and EV manufacturers incentives and install EV charging stations in the campground parking area, then do not allow EV charging at the site pedestals.
My opinion, do not meter for overnight stays, campground rates are more than enough to cover one night stays. Extended stays should be metered but only equal to the amount the utility company has set. That way it doesn't matter how many a/c's a unit has, you're paying for what you use.
The cost of electric on an RV site. An acquaintance of ours rented out their RV lot for a month, the pedestal was metered. The lot was equipped with an outdoor kitchen and pergola. Site cameras showed the renters left the outdoor electric heaters running constantly even while inside the RV, and they were charging their undisclosed EV. The electric bill for the month was over $1100. Ouch!
Now, as far as the discussion about paying for power, I often do (if staying a month or more, usually near the grandkids), and then when traveling, usually not.
But I hope the group realizes that the daily charges will go up, not down. The camps will have to pay to upgrade their infrastructure to handle the overall increase in power usage whether or not they go the route of individual charges. As Mike mentioned, this could be half a million dollars, or more. Camps must pass this cost on or die. The only way to avoid this is to boondock and have or make your own power. Depending on how you do that, it might not be cheap either. Litium batteries and solar panels are still fairly expensive and running a generator is more expensive than paying for electricity.
I do have a bit of an issue with that. The short term people are not subsidizing the the snowbirds, it is all about supply and demand. It is common for longer terms to be less expensive than shorter terms on a daily basis, simply because people will pay it. And if they will pay it, camps are going to charge it. People pay more per night for an air BNB than you would rent a place for a month. You pay more for a month by month rental than for a yearly lease. And it is also about the landlord knowing that site or apartment or house is filled instead of possibly bringing in no revenue part of the time.
LIke Tim noted, we have little issue with paying for what we use. What we have issue with is if they charge us to help pay all the permanent and snowbirds staying long term in campground. This is by no means an attack on those who camp long term......just about fairness. Thanks for reading.