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Show 7n.l . y lull v n . w m jm 44mz inn Norm Thompson, a Utah Power & Light employee from Milford, helps remove the CP National sign from its downtown Cedar City office. UP&L took over the office and all electric properties in the area last week, after the sale from CPN was given final approval. Utah Power and Light here, promises service, low rates Utah Power & Light. Even the name will bring a host of different reactions in Iron County, many pro and many con. But either way, the company is here, and officials are promising improved service and slightly lower rates. "We've come in with a very positive attitude, like we're going to be here 100 years," said Jay Gardner, Telluride Division manager. According to Gardner and Iron County District Manager Gayle Adams, UP&L is going to schedule improvements and maintence operations, with a total goal of upgrading the old CP National system by $7-8 million. "There are a number of projects they (CPN) have kept deferring, waiting for this sale," continued Gardner. "We'll just have to take those on a priority basis." The two listed maintenance main-tenance on street lights, sub-station maintenance, the line to New Harmony, trimming of trees near lines and new hook-ups as-major as-major items that would need to be taken care of as quickly as possible. Discussing CPN, Adams said: "We can take care of the system with our people, but when we get a big job we fall , behind. That's the bright spot of the picture with UP&L. We can bring in help for those jobs." The local officials are also quite confident that electric rates for the majority of customers will drop somewhat when UP&L takes over. "Rates depend on what you use, but historically our rates have been 18 to 20 percent less than CPN," said Adams. "And I don't think there's any question that commercial will save more than residential." A comparison of monthly billings for UP&L with CPN shows that rates are lower in almost all instances. For instance, a customer with a total electric home who uses 1,000 kilowatt hours in a month would save $11.28 or nearly 20 percent. The average total electric home uses 1,481 Kwh per month, according to the figures, for a savings of $7.60 or 9.5 percent. The average savings for someone under the general service rate, using electricity for neither heating or water heating, will be 7 percent. For those with electric water heaters, but no electric heat, the average savings will be 10 percent. per-cent. Adams also noted that farmers who must use electric pumps to irrigate, some of the biggest users in the area, would save money. In fact, the average savings is about 18 percent, said Adams. However, there are a lot of variables that go into figuring such. But the average pumper who operates about four months per year would save substantially. If he were to pump for six months the savings would be much less. |