Salt Lake Telegram | 1933-12-13 | Page 1 | 10 per Cent Power Rate Cut Decreed

I I 10 PER PERCENT CENT POWER RATE CUT DECREED I State Commission Orders Slash to Be Made by Jel- Jel Telluride luride Company USERS AFFECTED Will Save More Than Annually A 10 per cent reduction in power rates which will save consumers of ot the Telluride Power company in southern Utah more than a year will become effective in ten days under an order of the state public utilities commission Under existing economic conditions the commission ruled the service to consumers is not riot worth the rates charged In ordering the blanket reduction reduction re re- the commission noted the tact fact that the company earnings earnings in 1932 1932 will will drop below what is considered a fair return on its invest invest- investment ment mont when the new rates b become ome effective ef ef- ef The company servos serves consumers in Sanpete Millard Sevier Beaver Piute and arid Iron counties Follows Investigation The rate cut followed an investigation tion of or the Telluride Power company's rate structure begun on the commissions commission's commis commis- slon's sion's own motion March 10 Evidence Evidence Evi Evi- dence submitted at a public hearing at Richfield April 19 led Attorney General Joseph Chez who appeared for the state to recommend a 25 per percent percent percent cent slash Citing current economic conditions aggravated by drouth in the company's com corn pany's territory the commissIons commissIon's order or der for stated if the present conditions long continue the territory will be bean bean bein an an in industrially abandoned onet one one- one It t follows the commission ruled t that the value of the company's dec eleo neal service to this UtIs territory under existing climatic and economic conditions con con- is not worth to its patrons the charges now being made f for r it it Investment Is b The company's fixed capital investment invest Invest- ment nent is upon which an average average av av- av- av rage of per cent was earned Inthe in inthe the he past five years The 1932 earnings dropped however to per cent The company cont contended any reduction t Ion tion on in rates would be The rho commission admitted this in part to o be true but pointed out the company com corn pany Dany is s pioneering pione-ering with the residents of f the area served and should in some measure neasure be required to meet the ex cx- exigencies of the times with them Moreover the commission concluded con con- eluded if the worth or value of a public utility service to a patron is at nt atall all ill to be regarded as a factor in determining deter deter- mining what is a just and reasonable rate ate the reCi record rd in this case fully justifies jus jus- some reduction of the company's present resent rates Rate Range Ranee Quoted Rates now in effect range from a minimum of per month for residential residential res rca lighting with a consumption range ange of 12 kilowatt hours to irrigation ion tion pumping charges which reach per month The 10 per cent cut applies to residential lighting cooking cook cook- ing ng water heating commercial and municipal lighting church lighting heating and cooking and power for general purposes