The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1915-07-13
PRAISfS ACIloNOF COMMISSION
Electrical World Comments on Mer.
ger of Power Inteests.

Paise 70 the action of the public |
utilities commission of this state with
regard to the merger of the five hydro
electric power corporations operating
in southern Idaho, now practically
com pleted, is contained in an editorial
of the Electrical World of New York,
the leading electrical magazine In the
United States, regarded as authority
by those engaged in the electrical
business. Copies of the editorial
reached the commission yesterday.
The Electrical World holds the COM
missions conclusion that because the
statute gives adequate power to reg
ulate service and rates no danger to
the public is to be apprehended from
the monopoly, records another author
ity in support of the inevitable and
wholesome testimony of the electrical
industry's progress.
Merger Plans Being Completed.
! Plans for the perfection Of this mer-
ger are now being completed. 1t is
understood that conference OF re-
representatives. of the various electrical
concerns is being held in the east and
the transfer of securities will take
place by which the Great Shoshone T.
irwin Falls Water Power company
and the Southern Idaho Water Power
company will be taken over. The Ida
Tho Power & Light, the Idaho Railway
i Light G. Power company are now vir-
tually under control of the electric
j Investment Company. There is still a
payment due by the Idaho Railway
Light e. Power company on the Idaho
Power e Light cOmpanys property to
: close the purchase and it Is understood
this will be made in the fall. Accord
ing to the terms of the sale, it is said
the Idaho Power e Light retains Its
separate management until the final
payment is made.
The article from the Electrical
. World follows:
Merger of Electrical Properties.
"In approving the proposed mergel
of five hydro-electric properties in Ida
no, the public utilities commission
:: shows thorough understanding of thu
: settled economic principles involved
!. The substitution of one organization
|. for five, the interconnection of all dis
!: tributing system, the displacement
!. small generating plants by the larg
|. plant operating at less cost, are FAC
: tors of such strength and demon
Il SCTdDIe lullucHGc ia SCH WIG 0AA AeASS
!: that state commissions generally ia
: vor such movements. In the ldah
, case the Importance of the changes
): accumulated by the fact that the com
Z panies entering the combination ha
9. engaged in rate wars that had saH
:: ped their resources and credit and col
Z respondingly crippled their ability
!. provide the best service. The arrange
!. ment assures the same monopoly In
J: territory of wide extent that has bee
}. proved to be economically wise In IL
:. dividual communities Monopoly
): electric utility service in a city leat
6. logically to monopoly of service in e.
:: tensive areas comprising groups
,: communities where conditions of gel
81 Grafton, transmission, and the, mark
= for energy lend themselves to tn
!: highly economical type of develo
:: ment Idaho furnishes the latest illu
=. tration Of this character of upbuildin
:. = but many others exist. some OF Il
:: most conspicuous being in 1llino
e. The commissions conclusion that b
:: lcause the statute gives adequate po'
er to regulate service and rates
= danger to the public is to-, be appl
:: hended from such monopoly recor
y. another authority in support OF t
- inevitable and wholesome tendency
70 the industry's progress.