Show INCREASE IN RATE DENIED power light company Comp anys a application for increased rates in in utah which asked for an average increase of about 9 per cent was denied denie doby by the utah public service commission in an order released recently the commission ruled that the company had earned 6 per cent return during 1948 in spite of the companas comp anys contention that on its proper rate base it is now earning less than a G per cent return and that the requested rate increase would not result in a higher return than G per cent now or in the immediate future the rate base established by the commission is is approximately irately 2 less than that of the company in commenting on the decision george M gadsby president and general manager of the power company stated that in spite of the steady and large increases in the costs of labor taxes fuel and materials which have occurred since 1913 to the date of this application the company has not asked for nor received any rate increase it was in 1913 he said that the commission ordered reductions in rates amounting to more than 1 l in utah based on le ie venues in 1911 1941 which reduction wa igo prot protected eted without avail ile he declared that had this modest increase been granted the rates still would have been much less than prewar pre war and well below the national average mr air gadsby pointed out that an adequate adelua te return on in vestment investment is important in attracting capital to finance the companas comp anys in construction program over the next five years and that this would have been facilitated had bad the rate in crease been granted without a serious burden on any cu customer lie ile said ho however that the cor coa pany accepts the order with further nr proceedings and will everything possible to procure t tl oney money and proceed witt with it its c st ruction program so that ft needs of its customers and grow of utah may not be impeded |