<i>"Wholesale power prices in the national electricity market across the eastern states dropped to as low as -$64 per megawatt hour last Saturday, when soaring output from millions of rooftop solar panels flooded into the system."</i><p>However, the actual reality is, simply, outrageous. Recently, I received a letter from my electricity provider <i>EnergyAustralia</i> stating that my electricity bill was going to be increased by about $310 per year (based on my current usage). Then only last week I received another letter advising that there had been an error and that the estimate had been increased to about $342.<p>Given that Australia has energy in abundance, I am absolutely furious that the Government (governments) have sold out citizens to Big Business over both electricity and gas prices. Power prices were already sky-high before this announcement. We citizens are being ripped off big-time and this article only goes to prove it.<p>I cannot understand why there isn't more outrage over this.<p>For some time I have been investigating solar cells and going off-grid altogether and hopefully that will come to pass. Even if it costs me more, I'll do so just to spite the bastards. If more acted similarly then both the useless regulator and infrastructure owners would be left with unprofitable egg on their faces.<p>Damn them!<p>_<p><i>Edit: Incidentally, Australia exports gas to the world to such an extent that one would think the supply was limitless yet there are shortages of gas in the eastern states, NSW, Victoria. We ought to be the laughingstock of the world when it comes to energy prices. BTW, don't be fooled over the need to go green. Greening the supply needed extra costs but the real reason for the huge price hikes in recent years is governments selling out to Big Business. What's happened is a fucking disgrace!</i>