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Show these inflationary times have made it necessary to ask for a general increase. He pointed out that more than one-half of the requested increase would be absorbed ab-sorbed by taxes. Mr. Ashworth said the rate increase is necessary neces-sary to enable the company: 1 To meet the increased costs of materials, supplies, labor, fuel and taxes. 2 To continue to maintain its high standard of electric service. ser-vice. 3 To continue to build power pow-er plants, electric lines and other facilities to keep ahead of the increasing population and the area's expanding economy. Declaring that electric rates on UP&L's interconnected system are presently 24 per cent below the national average, Mr. Ashworth Ash-worth asserted that "even with this modest increase they would still be 18 per cent below what the average American pays for his electricity." Existing rates do not permit the company to earn a 6 per cent rate of return on its rate base, as allowed by the Utah commission, the application sets forth. It further fur-ther requests the commission to approve the proposed new rates in order that they may become effective in May of this year. Commenting on his company's long range expansion program Mr. Ashworth pointed out that a 44,000 kilowatt power plant was completed and placed in service in 1950, followed by a 66,000 kilowatt kilo-watt plant in 1951. He said an additional 75,000 kilowatt plant will be placed in service this fall while plans are well underway for further generating capacity by 1955. o UP&L APPLIES FOR RATEINCREASE Utah Power & Light company Wednesday applied to the Public Pub-lic Service Commission of Utah for. permission to raise its Utah electric service rates by approximately approx-imately 8 per cent. The proposed increase would apply to all classes class-es of customers. Signed by R. II. Ashworth, a vice president of the utility, the application requests the commission commis-sion to fix an early hearing date. Mr. Ashworth said his company com-pany consistently has followed a policy of reducing rates but that |
