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Show 6 - THE CITIZEN - THURSDAY, 6, 1973 DEC. More than ever before in our history, our energy supply has become a matter of national and very personal concern. The problem is receiving priority attention at all levels of government, in corporate executive offices, in the news media, and at the family dinner table. It is a complex matter, encompassing all of the major fuels in common use today petroleum, coal, natural gas, and nuclear. Much of the information reaching the public relates to national or regional shortages of electric power. As the supplier of electric energy to over a million people in the Intermountain Area, we are receiving an increasing number of inquiries concerning the status of the energy supply here, and we are taking this advertisement to answer the most frequently asked questions from our customers on this subject QUESTION: Is there or will there be a shortage of electricity in UP&LCo's area this winter? ANSWER: Barring some unforeseen catastrophy, no. We have an adequate supply of electricity for our customers for the present and foreseeable future. Americas coal resources have been estimated to be large enough to last the nation for over 200 years and there are very large deposits of coal in our service area. UP&LCo. uses coal to generate more than 90 percent of the electricity supplied to its customers. Utahs coal is. a high quality, fuel, highly prized by electric companies everywhere. low-sulph- ur QUESTION: Hie President is asking electric utilities to discontinue burning oil and start burning coal wherever feasible as soon as possible. Has UP&LCo. complied? ANSWER: Yes. As a matter of fact, due to expiration last year of a contract supplying oil for two units of our Gadsby Plant in Salt Lake City, we changed from oil to coal in September of 1972. These units formerly used about VA million barrels of oil per year. Many electric generating plants in other parts of the nation now burning oil recently converted from coal to oil to meet the new environmental protection regulations relating to sulphur dioxide emissions. Now they are asked to convert back to coal, but many of them have lost their coal supply contracts. We are not faced with that problem. Over 90 percent of the electricity UP&LCo. supplies to customers is being generated coal; about five percent using a high quality, is from hydroelectric generation; the remainder from gas and oil The only electric generating units using oil are: The oldest units at Gadsby Plant; the relatively small and older Jordan Plant (which is used only in emergency situations); and the small Little Mountain gas and oil turbine which supplies both steam and electricity to a chemical company on die Great Salt Lake. It is not feasible to convert these units to coal high-sulph- low-sulph- ur ur low-sulph- QUESTION: Is it desirable for UP&L customers to reduce their use of electricity? , ANSWER: We believe that all energy should be conserved and used prudently and not wasted. Even though we have ample electricity in our area, some utilities are experiencing shortages of electricity for a variety of reasons and are taking emergency measures to limit its use. At this time we are assisting neighboring utilities to meet their shortages which have occurred primarily because drought conditions have resulted in lack of adequate water to operate their hydroelectric generating stations. QUESTION: What happens to the electricity saved by conservation in UP&LCos service area? ANSWER: The energy saved by UP&L customers is sorely needed by nearby power-sho- rt areas, and it is sold to them. QUESTION: Specifically what do you recommend as to electric Christmas decorations? ANSWER: If electric decorations are outside, should be turned off. It should be noted that electric they lighting produces heat; in fact, the heating requirements of some commercial and office buildings are largely met by their lighting. So it is not a waste of electricity to bum lights inside buildings insulated to electric heating standards. , ur QUESTION: Do you see any problem that could create an energy shortage here? Yes. We could have a shortage by 1977 if approval procedures are not accelerated. It has become increasingly difficult to get federal government approvals necessary to start construction of additional plants on time. The time required to plan, engineer, build, and bring a new electric generating plant from five into service has increased by some three years to eight years. There is a profusion of governmental reviews at every level which must be completed prior to start of construction. Unless we begin construction of a second unit at Huntington by March of 1974, it is possible that our area will be short of power in 1977. Such a shortage would be due to too much regulatory delay, not due to a shortage of fuel. Material shortages and labor problems might also delay the completion of new generating facilities. ANSWER: certain time-consumi- ng time-consumi- ng QUESTION: What about Bafety and security lighting should this kind of lighting be turned off? ANSWER: The President has requested eliminating outdoor decorative lighting. Electric post lights ard area lights, automatically controlled to come on at dusk and go off at dawn, were designed and sold by UP&LCo. to provide safety and security. If a customer who has had one of these lights installed decides that he did it for decorative purposes rather than safety, he is the one best qualified to make this decision. QUESTION: What is UP&LCo. doing to provide an adequate supply of electricity in the future? ANSWER: We are actively pursuing plans which will provide adequate electric energy for our growing ecoromy and population. We have sites selected, fuel and wier, and equipment on order for the next three genera tii.0 units which should be adequate to meet our customers requirements through the early 1980s; and we are prrp.tred to meet all present environmental requirements fur these plants. We also have long range plans to pro Me i.lKtricity needed in the future. We are actively pur. plans to make geothermal steam generation a reality for o area. Our research and development efforts are directed toward assuring our customers full benefit from any technological advances in the generation of power, including nuclear and solar energy. been the policy of our company to discourage waste of materials, supplies, and energy, earlier this year. In recognition of the existing energy situation and that policy was but need what you locally and nationally, we have adopted the slogan: Use what you need use. And this sums' up our message to our customers. It has long y Sincerely, E. A. Hunter, President |