Can retailers sell cheaper that producers of electricity?

How can electricity retailers offer cheaper electricity than SP Group?

Retailers in the Open Electricity Market are either the retail arm of power generators or independent retailers which buy electricity in bulk from power generation companies in a wholesale market where prices change every 30 minutes depending on demand and supply....

Retailers are also able to customise price plans, including the bundling of other services or products, and can impose contract lock-in periods or early termination charges....

As with energy markets overseas, several retailers are likely to be successful in the long run, said Professor Subodh Mhaisalkar, executive director of the Energy Research Institute at Singapore's Nanyang Technological University.

Companies have to innovate and offer differentiated services in order to adapt as the market evolves, he added...

The prices offered by retailers will change as the underlying cost of energy changes.

“While price may seem the most important factor for now, consumers must understand that lower prices today are not a given in the long term regardless of whether you stay on the current scheme or change to a new retailer,” said Geneco’s Mr Low.

Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/how-do-electricity-retailers-charge-lower-prices-than-sp-group-11208792

The above extracts from Channel News Asia were used as explanation for the recent intiatitves to have more alternative retailers selling 'cheaper' power to the users. One simple question, if the retailers can sell cheaper without the production processes and cost, why can't the producers of electricity sell at the same price as the retailers or even cheaper? The retailers now have excess cost in marketing and sales that needs to be paid and can sell cheaper? This is an economic miracle. The added manpower must be added cost, cannot be free, must come from somewhere. And the retailers are not charity organisations, they can sell cheaper and make a profit?

Another strange thing from the discussion is the cost of natural gas that was used to produce the energy and the computation of the selling price that included oil prices that were not part of the production cost. Slimy isn't it? Read this,

'The energy cost, or cost of imported natural gas, is tied to oil prices by commercial contracts, which change depending on global market conditions. It is based on the average price of oil and the average SGD/USD exchange rate in the previous quarter.'

Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/how-do-electricity-retailers-charge-lower-prices-than-sp-group-11208792

And here is another report made in different circumstances, the failure of Hyflux in its entry into energy production to highlight how much the price of gas has fallen, meaning lower production cost, but not much of this benefit was transferred to the retail users.

'Due to oversupply of gas in the market, the projected reserve margin for electricity demand in Singapore increased to 70 per cent in 2017 from 30 per cent in 2011, it said. The reserve margin measures the excess capacity at peak electricity demand.

This resulted in the fall of the wholesale electricity price.

"The average wholesale electricity price has dropped from about SGD220 per MWh in 2011 when the Tuaspring project was awarded to an average of SGD81 per MWh in 2017, resulting in significant losses from electricity generation," the letter said.'

Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/business/olivia-lum-deeply-saddened-investors-sias-dividends-salary-11247804

If we put all these facts together, it means that the producer of energy has gained a lot of savings from lower gas prices and they could sell energy to the people at a very cheaper price than it is. There is no need to have more retailers, with more marketing and sales costs, to sell energy cheaper to the consumers. Right?

What do you think is the scheme of things?

'An elderly woman who lived near me met me at the bus stop.
She said – Mr. Tan, I agree with what you wrote about the retail electricity supply. As an elderly person, I do not know what to do choose my electricity supplier. Why don’t the government just get Singapore Power to reduce the electricity price, instead of asking us to look for our supplier. I find life to be very complicated....

I also read that some electricity suppliers are exiting the market, because it is too costly and too wasteful to be marketing the supply.

What a wasteful practice. What an incompetent government.'
Tan Kin Lian

Nathan Rich – Hongkongers protest for the sake of protesting

As a responsible government, I feel obliged to find a way to deal with the Taiwan murder case so that justice can be done for the deceased, her parents and society, while at the same time address the deficiencies in our system so that Hong Kong will not become a place for criminals to evade legal responsibility. 
Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/carrie-lam-hong-kong-speech-extradition-bill-in-full-11630390

The above is Carrie Lam's comment in her long speech on the Extradition Bill that has since been suspended due to the street protest. Nathan Rich, an American working in China gave a more detail explanation for the Extradition Bill and the irrational Hongkongers protesting against this Bill.

In Nathan King’s video on the recent protest in Hong Kong against the Extradition Bill, he explained it clearly the reasons for this Bill. Nathan Rich is an American, a creative tech nerd working in China. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCokRDKR89c

In short, the Bill came about when a Hongkonger brought his girl friend to Taiwan, murdered her, put her into her luggage bag and dragged it out of the hotel. He subsequently disposed her body and returned to Hong Kong to brag about it. The Taiwanese could not bring him back to face murder charges due to a lack of extradition treaty between Taiwan and Hong Kong. Though the crime was committed in Taiwan, I am puzzled why Hong Kong could not prosecute him.

This is the story that led to the Extradition Bill proposed and initiated by the Hong Kong govt, not by China. Initially there were a lot of opposition just like the Huawei and anything related to China, it is bad, can be bad, could be bad. The strongest critic by an anti China lawyer for fear of this new law being abused for political prosecution eventually accepted the Bill after several provisions were included against such possibilities. The Bill will not be used for political prosecution etc etc.

Still the protest went on and such a big scale. Why, the Hongkongers could not understand the Bill, protest for the sake of protesting, just being anti China when the Bill was proposed by the Hong Kong govt to ensure that justice is done and criminals would not get away from their crimes, or there is something more sinister to the protest, instigated by foreign elements?

As Nathan has said, this is an irrational protest, creating irrational chaos. This is lawlessness and the law is supreme against lawless people. There is no excuse to engage in lawlessness.

I agree that the protestors should be put down. All the baseless allegations cannot hold water in this case about abuses, just like the American dubious allegations against Huawei is mischievous.

Protesting against this Bill is saying, murder, crimes by Hongkongers overseas are ok and should not be prosecuted. The Hongkongers are protecting their criminals from foreign prosecution.

If this is not obstruction to justice what is?  What do you think?

New nation new priorities

Singapore will be celebrating its 54th year as a new and independent country, and 200 years of colonial rules. Oops, Singapore has been independent since 1965. As a new country, a new nation, there are different priorities, mainly nation building, building the country, building our assets, infrastructure, systems of administration and building a people to govern and administer our country and its assets and institutions.

During the time of the pioneering leaders, Goh Keng Swee set the training of Singaporeans to be masters of our own country and destiny, to be in charge of our assets and planning the well being of our people, as top priority. One of his most conspicuous policy in manpower developing, to be self sufficient in the top echelon of management was in the finance industry. Singapore was evolving into a major banking and finance sector. So, despite the angmoh tua kee, and angmoh everywhere, Goh Keng Swee set about a process to ensure that Singaporeans would be trained under the angmoh doing business here, to be the leaders of tomorrow, the industry leaders of their respective fields.

Goh Keng Swee did not stop at the banking and finance industry, he wanted Singaporeans to be in charge in all industries and no need to say, the govt as well. That was the beginning of a new nation and nation building. We are the masters of our own country and our own destiny. Many baby boomers benefited from this policy and many rose to the pinnacles of their industries without knowing why, thinking that it was their own abilities and blessing, failing to acknowledge the invisible hand of Goh Keng Swee and to thank him for their good fortunes.

Has this policy change. In a way yes and in a way no. The top leaders of industries are also held by Singaporeans, even govt leaders. The main difference is that many are foreigners and they need not have to train native Singaporeans to replace them. They replaced Singaporeans but statistically, the posts would be held by Singaporeans.  How so?

These foreign imports would be given the pink IC and called themselves Singaporeans. So we have many new Singaporeans in the top posts, even in govt. The end result is the same, Singaporeans in charge, being masters of Singaporeans and charting the destiny of Singapore and Singaporeans.

Any difference between what Goh Keng Swee did then and what is happening now?

False flag in the Persian Gulf, a repeat of Gulf of Tonkin Incident

What is happening in the Persian Gulf, the attack on oil tankers that the US unilaterally claimed was done by the Iranians and wanting to use this as an excuse to launch a military attack against Iran is a mirror image of the sinking of the Cheonan in South Korea.

In the Choenan case, the Americans sank it through an inside explosion, killing more than 20 South Korean soldiers, quickly conducted an investigation by themselves, planting and fabricating evidence to show that it was done by the North Koreans and wanted to start a war with North Korea. The one sided fictitious investigation was refuted by the North and disbelieved by the South Koreans who done their own investigation and knew that it was a false flag incident to incite them to kill each other, Koreans killing Koreans. The South Koreans refused to bite and a vicious war was avoided.

The Americans are repeating the same false flag modus operandi in this gulf incident, conducted their own biased and fictitious investigation, one sided allegation that it was Iran that did it. The Americans claimed that the Japanese ship was hit by mines. The Japanese crew on board the ship said eyewitnesses saw the attack was from the air, struck by missiles.

No one is going to believe the Americans and the UN Secretary General Guterres is calling for an independent investigation led by the UN.  Calling wolf too often, telling lies too often, the consequence is that no one would believe the liars any more, no one would believe the lying Americans. 

Below are some quotes from Michelle Nichols - Yahoo News

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on Friday for an independent investigation to establish the facts and who was responsible for attacks on two oil tankers this week in the Gulf of Oman....

"It's very important to know the truth and it's very important that responsibilities are clarified. Obviously that can only be done if there is an independent entity that verifies those facts," he told reporters, adding that he believed only the Security Council could order a U.N. investigation....

Guterres, who condemned the attacks on the tankers, was speaking on Friday alongside Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit after the pair met.

Gheit told reporters that he did not believe an Arab country was "trying to obstruct naval lanes or to shoot itself in the foot by acting the way we have seen in the Gulf of Oman or in the Hormuz Strait."

"My call to our Iranian brothers - be careful and reverse course because you're pushing everybody towards a confrontation that no-one would be safe if it happens," he told reporters.

The sickening thing about the above is that though they knew that it was the Americans that are raising tension and provoking a war, but they are still calling ' our Iranian brothers - be careful and reverse course because you're pushing everybody towards a confrontation that no-one would be safe if it happens.' They could not say the obvious, that it is the Americans that are pushing everybody towards a confrontation, not the Iranians. The Iranians would not do that to invite a military attack by the world's most powerful gangsters and assured destruction of their country.

This is the intrinsic bias that I said before about the silly mindset of Asians and Asian leaders. They are afraid to call the Devil the Devil and choose to blame the innocent, the victims of the Devil. The evil Americans are rooting for a war, not the Iranians!

Singapore's deadly drug addiction and dependency

Drugs are drugs, and drugs are addictive. That is why they are called drugs and with a negative and bad connotation, and can be very deadly. But drugs are the cravings of many people, the unthinking, the shallow thinkers, as they could provide instant gratifications, easy means to get the highs so needed.

Singapore is addicted to a few deadly drugs that are now beginning to wear off and the pain and suffering are getting more and more apparent. And to maintain the same level of highs, the dosage must not only be maintained but increased to get the same effect. How long can this go on before Singapore suffers from overdosage or be killed by over consumption or suffer the same fate like all drug addicts, from deprivation?

The first drug that is wearing off and showing withdrawal symptoms is HHDBP, aka High HDB Price. The problems of keeping HDB price at stratospheric prices are beginning to show. It is not only difficult but impossible. And the price is going to tumble faster and faster with each year pricing. The HHDBP drug is going to kill a big majority of Singaporeans as more than 80 per cent of Singaporeans are consuming this drug. There is no escape.

The next deadly drug is CPFNYM/CPFNE aka CPF Not Your Money or CPF Not Enough. Many Singaporeans, practically every adult Singaporean is affected by this drug. Their dependency on this drug is for life. Any time when this drug runs low, they will be in deep financial trouble. The withdrawal symptoms can be deadly or lead to premature death. The older Singaporeans get, the more dependent they would be on this drug. Unfortunately many just would not have enough of this.

The third drug is HPP aka high property prices. Singaporeans whether living in private property or HDB estates cannot afford to have falling property prices. Lower property prices or lower HPP would make life unbearable. Singaporeans must be kept on a constant high with HPP or else it would lead to untold misery.

Another drug that Singaporeans are fed with, just like when they went to a party and everyone said must try and must have is LMI aka life and medical insurance. Like in a party, Singaporeans are forced to partake LMI or else, like it or not, everyone is on it, so no choice must also take. Got money, no money, still must pay for it. This drug is hard on the pockets of Singaporeans, an irresistible drugs, a must have drug that like drug addicts, must find the money to pay for it.

Another deadly that have long term consequences and once taken would be hooked for life, is FWL. This one has a very high dependency and addiction potency. The more one takes, the more is needed. Oh, this one does not affect the people directly but companies and the govt. In case you still did not get it, it is called Foreign Workers Levy. The companies needed this supposedly to keep their cost low. The govt is highly dependent and addicted to this as a cheap source of income to boost the GDP and the govt coffers. Cutting this drug is unacceptable. This drug is for life to the govt. Can't imagine how the govt is going to survive without this drug, or cheap source of income.

The consequences of this FWL need not elaborate. The constant presence of wild life in Singapore and turning Singapore into a third world city with more social problems and crimes are part and parcel of FWL. Singaporeans would have to live with more wild life in their midst, in HDB estates particularly.  It is not only social and economic problems but also security and safety problems.

The govt's heavy addiction to this drug is clearly shown by their die die must have 10m population and when this is reached, they would say 20m is better. They would not tell you how bad life would be with 10m or 20m population. They are just telling half truths, about how good, and keeping quiet about the bad parts, the other side of the same coin.

These are just some of the major drugs that are inflicting a lot of pain and damages to the well being and health of Singaporean and would only get worse as the addiction gets worse.

Boy PM and his rule of law

The office of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, whose image has taken a hit in recent weeks over a growing corruption scandal, denied Saturday that he acted in a hostile way toward a female lawmaker in his party....

It was yet more bad press undermining Trudeau's credentials as a progressive leader following the resignations of his attorney general and budget minister, both women, one indigenous.

Caesar-Chavannes said Trudeau asked her to delay announcing her decision after Minister of Justice Jody Wilson-Raybould had just stepped down, plunging the government into crisis over suspected interference in a legal process.

That was followed by the resignation of Budget Minister Jane Philpott.

The prime minister, who touts his credentials as a feminist and defender of indigenous rights, would like to avoid the political image of someone who presided over the departure of two (minority) women of color, added Caesar-Chavannes.

Wilson-Raybould, who has indigenous heritage, said after she resigned that she had faced undue pressure from Trudeau and his aides seeking that she try to avoid a trial of engineering giant SNC-Lavalin....

On Saturday, Trudeau acknowledged mistakes had been made but denied any laws were broken.

"There was a disagreement about the best way to move forward and there were certainly an erosion of trust in my office that I absolutely need to learn from and deal from and do better in the future and that I take very, very seriously," he said.

The above is from Yahoo News.

This boy PM, after parroting rule of law for the last few months when caught in the American conspiracy in arresting Meng Wanzhou, is now caught with his pants down, in interfering the judicial system on a case against the indigenous Canadians. And he still claimed that he was doing everything right and proper, like the Meng Wanzhou case when his ministers resigned because of his interference. All he did was to admit a loss of trust in his office, not in himself.

The boy PM is basically an inept, a former school teacher, rose to political office under the shadow of his father. This is perhaps his only ability and now he is fumbling over and over again, daily and becoming a joke himself. After what Trump did and said so far on the Huawei case, he still stubbornly sticks to his rule of law and doing nothing wrong antics. 

He will look totally lost when Trump and Xi sign a deal with the release of Meng Wanzhou as a precondition. By then not stepping down is no longer an option for this boy PM that surrounded himself with nincompoops.

How stupid can the Canadians get?

Trade with Canada is slowing to a standstill. Canola farmers are hit most with China refusing to buy canola and a whole range of Canadian produce, including meat. Things are getting unbearable with the farming community cursing at the boy PM and girly FM combination still sticking to their stupid ‘rule of lawlessness’ but claiming to be their rule of law. They knew, every Canadian knew, that the arrest of Meng Wanzhou is a political farce started in Washington and the little boy PM and girly FM were so eager to please the Americans to go and arrest Meng Wanzhou on transit at a Canadian airport.
 
The pressure for the Canadian govt to do something to reset relations with China is at its peak but the boy and girly combination is out of their wits. China has completely shut down communication with the Canadian govt, not picking up the phones, withdrawing their ambassador from Canada. Two Canadians are in jail for spying and one about to be hung for drug offense.
 
What do you think the Canadians are thinking of doing to mend fences with China? Talk to Xi, waylaid Xi at the G20 Summit in Japan, send ex PMs or diplomats that had good relations with China to China to bring back the jailed Canadians and resume trade. China has just said no to a Canadian request for Xi to meet Trudeau. No deal mate. None of them wants to think that the elephant in the room should be removed first. They still stick to their fantasy of rule of law, they could not bend their principle on the rule of law and release Meng Wanzhou on the behest of the Americans as a trade bargaining chip. And they really think that China is suffering from not buying canola oil or pork from Canada because some agency is spreading swine fever in East Asia and China needs pork badly!
 
When would these silly Canadians grow up and know that Canada is irrelevant in China’s scheme of things. Canada can disappear from the world map, from China’s world and China would get on fine with what it is doing without missing a beat. They still think China needs Canada and cannot live without Canada and it is OK to retain Meng Wanzhou and relations with China can return to normal.
 
They are still dreaming that Canada is big power, and China is a weak and hapless nation, that could be pushed around and kicked around by the white people, by a small insignificant country like Canada. Maybe Canada thinks it can punch above its weight and can knock at China as and when it likes.
 
Grow up boys and girls. You screw it up with your stupidity. As long as Meng Wanzhou is not returned home to China, Canada can forget about China. Keep on living in your little fantasy that you can push China around, that you have done no wrong, that arresting Meng Wanzhou is a normal and rightful thing under your fictitious rule of law that is more a rule of lawlessness.
 
Keep dreaming and fantasizing that China will come begging to buy your oil or farm produce. As long as Meng Wanzhou is in Canada, forget about talking to China. Period.
 
Come to Singapore for a piece of good advice from our very wise FM Vivian on how to get back on the good books of China. Vivian had been there and done it.