Norwich bulletin., 1916-02-18
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Cost of Electric Current.

Mr.. Editor: So much has been pub
lished and said in public meeting that
was not authentic, and true only as
half of truth, the whole of which
would have been repugnant to the pur-
poses of it's user, that the writer long
ago decided to reserve his judgment
concerning the discussion arising in
the board of gas and electrical COM
missioners until such time as some
body other than an interested partisan
with personal axe to grind stated the
whole truth or gave out facts from
which an unprecedented and unbiased
view might be obtained. l, therefore,
congratulate you upon the initiative
you have shown in collecting the data
published yesterday morning in re-
gard to the relative cost of electricity
in Massachusetts cities as compared
to that of Norwich.
Cold facts like these tell the story
completely. and If correct, as there is
no reason to doubt they are, form the
basis for a fair comparison. 1 have
made few discoveries along this line,
the result of which may prove inter
esting to all taxpayers and citizens
who believe in reserving their final
judgment until a systematic and BUSH
nesslike study and consideration of the
whole proposition is had.
OF the 35 Massachusetts cities which
have municipal lighting plants,
Holyoke makes by far the best show
ing.
Comparing the results obtained here
at home with those in Holyoke, the
data shows the following: Holyoke,
which uses over IA million k. W. h. of
electrical current annually, finds that
it costs .0142 cents were k. w. h., ex-
elusive of interest on bonds and de-
probation on investment, while Nor
witch, using but 100000 k. w. h. Gin
nine months), finds that 1t costs OBS
cents per k. W. h., exclusive of bond
nd lot Of MIA
Considering actual cost, Norwich
uses but one-6 uarter as much current
and pays .0319 for it, while Holyoke
obtains it for .0169.
There are but four other cities on
the chart you print that better the
is apparent when one looks at the
enormous proportionate debt with
which the local plant is handicapped.
For instance, Holyoke with a plant
generating over IA million k. W. h. has
an annual bond interest and depre-
citation burden of s3s, 6S8, while Nor
witch with a plant generating (and
buying) three and a half million k. W.,
has a bond interest and depreciation
burden of s43,236 annually. By COM
pairing the bare manufacturing cost
per k. W. h. with the cost per X W. h.,
after allowing for the bond interest
and depreciation, it is discovered that
that S43,236 burden doubles the real
cost OF the prOduct. Ih1S is an anaz-
ing disclosure, but a condition never
theless for which our local commits
sion is in no way responsible.
Those citizens who advocate that we
manufacture all the current We use
may well cite Holyoke as a model, but
needs must close their eyes to the fact
that the price quoted by the Scotland
power plant is practically six-tenths
of a cent less per k. w. h. than cleo
tricity costs that banner city and about
one-third the local cost. 1t is thus
plain that the more outside current our
commissioners purchase at a low price
the cheaper local rates will be with
better service rendered the public.
The price to the consumer is cheaper
here than in any Massachusetts city
named except Holyoke. where it is the
same.
The table you have published is very
enlightening and seems to Vindicate
the action of the local commission
both as to results achieved and as to
their wisdom in considering the pur-
chase of current from some outside
concern that is able to sell it cheaper
than we can make it ourselves
Citizens who endeavor to look deep
err than the surface should thank The
Bulletin for its painstaking effort in
the interest of justice and fair play.
TAXPAYER.
Norwich, Feb. II, 1915.