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The screws cost 1.7 million pounds, or about $2.72 million. The average KWH rate in the US is about 11 cents (a lot less if you can get it from conventional hydro). So that $2.72 million could be used to purchase 24.7 million KWH. That means for the same price the Royals could have gotten electricity for at least 14.5 years which might be close to the service life of the screws.

Given that most of us commoners would probably have to finance such an installation up front (which means interest payments), I don't see any bargain here.