Ah, the blackouts! As somebody who's originally from Argentina, I sure can relate! This would happen all the time back home. At least twice a week, sometimes more often, and usually every day in the Summer months. Not fun at all during the peak humidity season! Also, the quality of the power was questionable at best. My dad had to install a voltage stabilizer at his workplace due to the crazy wild
constant fluctuations. We have 220 in Argentina, but I remember many instances where we actually measured 140 at the wall! These machines would make a whirring, incredibly loud noise every time they had to "compensate" for the lower numbers and do their job, and I remember listening to them "sing" all day long sometimes... No, I do not miss those days at all...
My family lives in Buenos Aires and they tell me that they still get blackouts on a regular basis. In the meantime, their electric bills goes up and up every year. It's infuriating.
My monthly bill averages $50/$60 per month here in South FL, and that is with the AC and computer running all day long. I use the stereo about 18 hours a week, and my wife uses the plasma TV at least 3/4 hours a day, sometimes a lot more. We do live in a 2/2 condo, though, but I frankly can't complain about the electric bill. It's usually $40 or so in the winter!
