The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1915-01-19
Twin Falls Allowed Competition In Electrical
Power By Recent Decision
Ruling Goes Into Detail as to Reasons for Reversal Of Former
Decision Specifying nsuffGenV Of Service

Twin Falls is to have competition in
electrical power as the result of new
decision handed down by Commission
ers Ramstedt and Graham, of the pub
lie utilities commission, acting upon
the petition of the Idaho Light and
Power company to enter this field un
der franchise granted by the city of
Twin Falls. The decision is a COM
plete reversal Of the policy of the COM
mission under the Haines administra-
ton. Mr.. Ramstedt. while an old men,
Der of the commission, did not sit in
the first hearing, while Mr.. Graham re-
Gently appointed from this city, makes
his first ruling upon case with which
he Is thoroughly familiar. The deci-
sion does not make 1t the general poll
cy of the commission to allow COM
petition, but only where the field war
rants such competition.
The idaho Light and Power COM
pany. through it's local superintendent
ID. c. Brown, is getting ready to COM
plete the construction work in this
city begun six months ago, when the
first hearing brought 1t to an abrupt
close.
The text of the decision is given be-
low
In the future competition among
public utilities in Idaho will be
permitted by the public utilities COM
mission, and regulated monopoly will
not exist, for the commission Sat-
urday reversed itself on it's prior rul-
ing barring competition from given
electrical fields on the ground it would
bring about wasteful competition. In
an order handed down in the matter
of the application of the Idaho Power
& Light company for a certificate to
enter the Twin Falls territory on the
ground convenience and necessity
demand it, the commission granted
the application and set aside it's form
er order denying this company that
right. The decision means that the
1 Beaver River Power company will also
be permitted to enter the Pocatello
field, from which it also had been bar
red. BY the former decision the Great
Shoshone & Twin Falls company was
given exclusive control of the Twin
Falls field and the Southern Idaho
Power company had control of the Po-
catello field
! The reversal of the commission S
position on this important question to
all of Idaho was due to the change in
/ the personnel of the commission. In
the former opinion AXel P. Ramstedt,
member of the commission, and hold
over commissioner, did not participate.
A majority of the then members of the
commission did. They were President
John A. Blomquist and Drew w Stand
rod. Mr.. Blomquist retired from the
commission on the appointment of A.
L. Freehafer of Council Mr.. Gra-
ham was appointed by Governor
Haines to succeed Commissioner Stand
rod. It was known that Commits
sioner Graham was for competition in
any field among public utilities. Com
missioner Ramstedt took the same
stand. Both commissioners concur in
the reversal ruling Commissioner
Freehafer did not sit in the case nor
did he assist in reaching the present
findings.
History Of the Case.
The opinion of the commission
necessitates brief review of the sit
uation that existed in reference tC
the power war in Southern Idaho and
out of which arose the situation that
called forth the former ruling of the
commission. The Great ShoBhone &
Twin Falls Power company has fol
years and still is in control of what
fis known as the Twin Falls electrical
field. The Southern Idaho Power com.
pany is and has been in exclusive con.
troll of the Pocatello field. Both have
been serving consumers with electricit,