Near as I can figure the lady in the fair go story is running a 2000Watt heater.
Unless I am calculating/doing math wrong -
2000W x 13hrs/day = 26000Watts a day x 30days = 780,000Watts per month / 1000Watts (1kw) = 780kw x 31.5 (.315) cents per kw = $245.70 a month.
Since we bought our house (in May) the power company has been doing estimated billing based off last year. I saw the power guy come up and do a visual reading this August, at which time I told my wife get ready for a big power bill in Sept =S
Our last bill for August was $760, that's a lot...but not when I think about it. We had 3 electric heaters going in July. I made an effort to turn em off when not needed, ran them at 750W setting and not the 2200W setting. We got a wood stove installed in Aug.
In Canada even with a wood pellet stove to help heat the house and the electric base board heating....wasn't uncommon for our electric bill during Dec, Jan, Feb (dead of winter) to be $450/month. Summer months $220.
Doesn't take much to eat the watts. One average computer (75W-150W idling) running 24/7 cost about 20-40 bucks a month.