Show U PI Seeks State Okeh Of Rate Hike Utah Public Service Commission Commission Commission Commis Commis- sion Thursday was asked by Utah Power and Light Co for permission permission permission sion to raise its rates by 8 for electric service to all classes of customers Signed by R. R H. H Ashworth a avice avice avice vice president the application requested a hearing at an early date The new rate schedule proposed proposed pro pro- proposed posed also carries a fuel adjustment adjustment adjustment adjust adjust- ment clause This would increase or decrease rates to users on the company's interconnected system system system tem except residential and farm farmand farmand farmand and street lighting customers 03 of a mill per kilowatt hour for each increase or decrease of lOc per ton from the current price of coal Accepted Practice Mr Ashworth said this is an accepted practice of most utilities utilities utilities ties as a result of the unstable fuel prices in recent years Effect of the proposed increases increases increases in in- creases for residential customers custom custom- ers would be a boost of the present present present pres pres- ent minimum monthly bill from a month to 1 3 10 to and to 7 66 Mr 1 Ashworth sa said d his company company company com com- pany consistently has followed a policy of reducing rates but that inflation has made it necessary to ask for a general increase Face Increased Costs lIe He said the increase one half of which would be absorbed by taxes is necessary to enable the company to meet increased costs of supplies labor fuel and taxes to maintain its high standard stardard of service and to continue to build facilities to keep ahead of the increasing population and the areas area's expanding economy Rates on the company's interconnected interconnected interconnected inter inter- connected system now are ape 24 below the national average he said and would be 18 below after the increase |