We re all going to have to pay more for electricity, and you may not have it when you need it. It s going to affect some worse than others. Grower Rick Veldstra said the only thing certain this summer is the uncertainty. He fears rolling blackouts will be extended from the current one and two hour time spans, to even longer. Veldstra finds a trade off between electric pumps verses diesel pumps.
Diesel pumps aren t as efficient as the electric in picking up the tail water.
If electric rates get exorbitant, I may decide to leave those pumps off. There are other efficiencies lost when you can t use electric pumps. Veldstra, who grows almonds, alfalfa and corn, does not have any plans to immediately change his cropping patterns. My plans were already set before all this happened. I hope it all works out, he added.