Utility Cost

This would be hard to do, there are a lot of variables to consider, like A/C or no A/C, pool. You may want to consider down sizing a bit. Most people think they need a big sprawling estate when they first get here only to realize they spend most of their time outside. The only time you really spend in doors is sleeping. I'm sure someone on the forums can post what the latest cost per kiliwatt hour if that will help you. But the rule of thumb I would use would be to double what you are currently paying where you are located now.

It is an individual thing.
It depends solely on your usage and the number of electronic gizmos and electric appliances you have in use.
WAPA charges around $0.53 per kilowatt hour by the time you pay for all the crap they add on to your bill.
For instance:
Base Customer charge: $4.86
Base rate @ .073599
Line loss surchage: @ .002196
Maint. Surcharge: @ .024863
OPEB (whatever that is) @ .008668
Pilot SUR: 000686
Fuel Charge: @ .401807
Ins. surcharge: @.00195

Everyone hates WAPA.

I'd like to know why we have to pay for their line loss, Ins. and most of the other stuff listed.

We are planning on moving down later in the year and I'm curious about utility cost. I see a lot of people complaining about cost but no figures. I know these number varies greatly based on size of house and personal consumption but can someone give some ball park numbers on a 3 bed 2 bath home. We plan on renting for a year.

Thanks

Not to be snarky but a lot of us have posted actual costs of our bills but like mentioned it's gonna depend on your useage. Ours hasn't been over $150 for two adults. Wifi and fridge and 2 fans 24/7 laundry twice a week, lights 4hr a day and tv for 5hrs a day. I work from home PT on websites and use my laptop at least 4 he's a day. Stove is on gas and no microwave or dishwasher.

Don't forget that hot water heater that runs 24/7 unless you have on a timer.
My consumption was 385 and my bill was $202.62 with hot water heater timer on for 2 hrs. a day, doing 2 loads of laundry once a week,
I rarely use the dishwasher, unplug anything not in use but I work out of my house and am on and off computer all day. I do have a fridge and a freezer. Once I turn the A/C on my bill will likely double and that's only for use during the night when needed not 24/7.

"I see a lot of people complaining about cost but no figures."

Here are a couple of threads with figures.
https://www.vimovingcenter.com/talk/read.php?4,216799
https://www.vimovingcenter.com/talk/read.php?4,194654

The USVI cost per KWHr is about 5x the stateside average.

Thanks All for the replies. I did search for the threads but couldn't find them. Like most on the main land we are probably utility junkies at the moment it's one of the things we plan on working on. I'm sure a few staggering bills will help whip me into conservatism.

Best Regards

Just for a basis for other newbies. We pay 9.050 cents per kWh in Atlanta. so it's about 6x more expensive for us. That gives me a great idea of what I'm getting into. Thanks again for all the replies.

We wish we were paying 9 cents for electricity!
The costs of electricity here drives other costs up.

You should really look at the "total utilities package" ie: everything including electrical, water, gas, sewer, cable, telephone, broadband, etc. on a monthly basis, then compare. I find that my "total utilities package" on a monthly basis is about the same as when I lived on the mainland because I rarely pay for water, never pay for sewer or gas. People tend to whine about electricity costs, which are indeed expense, but when one looks at the whole picture, its no that bad.

You cannot tell me that the costs of electricity here does not impact the prices we pay for groceries, etc.
If we were only paying 9 cents for electricity there would be a lot more savings. You have to admit the cost of our electricity is outrageous.

I didn't say that electricity cost don't impact the cost of groceries. I was only referring to the total cost of monthly utilities when compared to the mainland. Grocery costs vary from store to store, city to city, region to region and are affected by many factors such as electricity costs, state taxes, transportation costs, employee costs (union store vs non-union) and even what area a store is located in (upscale vs down market). Electricity is only one cost driver in the territory with transportation costs, gross receipts tax, litigious customers and other factors. The OP was asking specifically about UTILITY costs not grocery costs.

OP...for my 5 bedroom, 3800 sf house with pool and hot tub, we pay $500/month on average with no solar or AC.

rnblade: I think it is difficult to compare your use in GA with possible use here. I'll bet you have central a/c and leave it on 24 hours in the summer. Here, if you have a/c, you may only turn it on in one room while you are there. Lots of people live without a/c at all. 😉

It is comparably high which I have factored in when i eventually make the move. That said, here in the Midwest Our water/Sewer bill was raised 300% because local politicians ignored a combined sewer system that polluted our river and now time has run out and the sewer system must be fixed. Many rightly so have complained about having $100 water/Sewer bills. I don't know how the elderly are going to be able to afford this massive increase. Even with that said, I pay nearly $100 a month for smart phone service that I could do without and without much complaining. If I can pay that a month I surly can pay $100 -$150 on electricity which is used for most appliances. Bottom line though is all of our utilities should be much lower. When the utilities have monopolies, they win.

2 IN OUR HOUSEHOLD, we have a washing machine, ceiling fans, tv and computer on from 3-5 hours a day. stove, fridge and water heater.

our bill is about 200 a month.

Bottom line though is all of our utilities should be much lower. When the utilities have monopolies, they win.

Regardless where you live, I think you're being overly optimistic about your utility costs being much lower in the USVI. And our power provider here is a monopoly so no escape!

Interesting article regarding First Energy in Ohio.

http://www.ohio.com/news/break-news/firstenergy-corp-meeting-is-12-minutes-long-with-two-protestors-1.489368

4 bedroom house, zero AC. Pool pump. Average WAPA bill $1,200.

When we were off island for an entire billing month it was still 650, which we couldn't believe until we recently found out there were 4-5 people living in our house when we were gone without our knowledge.

YMMV. Mine sure did.

chris, did you know these people who squated

2 people, no ac, no fans, washer but don't use dryer, pool pump, 40 gal water htr, elec stove, mwave, dishwasher 2-3x per week, frig, tv 3 hours,...~$275 per month.

8 people, 4 bed 4 bath (yeah... its tight) pool pump, NO AC used, fans used pretty regularly, TV, fridge(x2) gas stove, washer and no dryer... 550-650 a month.

Two people here. Do NOT use AC. Pool pump, elec. HWH, dryer, fridge, TV on all day, water pump for running water and flushing toilets, one ceiling fan, use all LED bulbs for light...Bill runs between 275-350. My highest electric bill which was August usage in Arkansas was never this much running Central AC 24-7!!! Course my energy costs there were only .11 pkh! Here it is 5 times higher than Arkansas. Of course the bill will be higher here using the same usage.

chris, did you know these people who squated

Yes. It was our house manager, housekeeper, and their family and friends, so they had codes and keys. If they would have asked I probably wouldn't have minded, but they did not ask, and lied when I got suspicious and asked directly.

It was quite disappointing.

sorry about your experience. i hope you do not still employ these people and have changed all codes

Its so cheap and easy to install IP cameras these days so you can keep a watch on your home and business, right from your smart phone, tablet or desktop. You can monitor sound and video and record activity with a touch of a button. They even send email alerts when the sensor detects activity. Indoor and outdoor pan and tilt HD cams cost less than $100 on Amazon.