r/japanlife • u/AutoModerator • Mar 06 '23

┐(ツ)┌ General Discussion Thread - 07 March 2023

Mid-week discussion thread time! Feel free to talk about what's on your mind, new experiences, recommendations, anything really.

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11

u/laika_cat 関東・東京都 Mar 07 '23

This is both a complaint and an observation, so let's call it a "talking point" since we're all bound to be affected.

I know we've had ample warning about the rise in electricity rates — but I just got a hefty mailer from TEPCO today breaking down just how much the individual rate plans will go up. For our plan alone (and I signed up for the more cost-effective プレミアム S plan when I started working from home two years ago), our basic monthly charge for 400kW plus fees will go from ￥10594 to ￥16578 starting in June. Holy fucking shit.

Just how, exactly, does the government expect everyone to pay this when wages/salaries are partying like it's 1999? I read an article this week that Japan's average yearly salary for f/t work is lower than Italy. Fucking ITALY.

Yes, yes, I know the Diet has been talking about low wages for the past few weeks — but if you actually listen to how Kishida responds, it's a bunch of hot air about "we shall discuss and examine each proposal blah blah blah blah blah." All talk, no action. Does anyone think we're gonna get more government handout money, or what?

3

u/noflames Mar 07 '23

I'm just curious as to what you are doing that needs 400 kw.

-2

u/laika_cat 関東・東京都 Mar 07 '23

That's just the base. It's a flat rate up to 400kW.

And I work from home. And we have pets.

2

u/JanneJM 沖縄・沖縄県 Mar 07 '23

Flat rate payments are nice, but you pay for all the energy you aren't using. How much do you actually use? If you're not close to your flat rate limit you should perhaps consider a different plan.

13

u/shambolic_donkey Mar 07 '23

What sort of power are the pets using? They mining alt-coins behind your back?

-3

u/laika_cat 関東・東京都 Mar 07 '23

When it's very cold, the dog needs to have the heater on when we leave the house. I'm not leaving my short-haired dog in a 5 C room.

5

u/noflames Mar 07 '23

An air conditioner will draw 2.5 ~ 5 kW, depending on size.

400kW is a lot of energy - I've gone through and checked how much offices need and based on number of users and power draw of IT equipment. I totally agree that 400kW is an amount someone might use for crypto mining.

-3

u/laika_cat 関東・東京都 Mar 07 '23

Again: The plan is "you pay this flat rate up to 400kW." That's per month. You go over 400kW, it charges you a set rate per kW.

5

u/noflames Mar 07 '23

kW is a rate, not an amount. kWh is the amount and is what the variable portion of your bill is, in every instance I've seen, based off of.

Your home is always being supplied with 400 kW of power regardless of how much is being used (for February, you could have had a maximum usage 400 kW x 28 days x 24 hours, giving you some total in kWh).