Imperial Valley press., 1920-09-20

consumers requiring continuous SER
vice, must, until the growth of load
justifies it, install their own standby"
the commission says, however:
The service in the valley is con-
tinually growing and it is apparent
that definite steps should be taken
at this time toward lettering the
quality of service being rendered
even if this requires considerable in
vestment on the part of the utilities,
either a standby plant sufficient to
carry the essential loads, which can
be put in operation at shorter no.
tice than the present plants, should
be planned, or an additional source
of mower should be arranged for.
Applicants owe an obligation to
their consumers in Imperial Valley
to take steps to this end and it will
be expected of applicants that they
present to the commission not later
than January /, 1921, practical
plan of improving the service.
Claims Answered
In answer to the claim of protest
ants that the Holton Power Company y,
because Of the service heretofore CIV.
en-. should not be- allowed to incrs :
rates, the commission says that "to
refuse an increase in rates at this
time would in all probability result in
even worse conditions of service than
at present owing to the inability OF
the applicants to obtain money to i'm
prove service conditions" Continuing
the commission says:
The conditions surrounding the
service, however, in Imperial Valley
are such that the applicants can not
be greatly criticised for the quality
Of service rendered up to the present
| time, as there is a serious doubt
whether the service could stand the
| additional cost necessary.
Regarding the rule of the companies
approved by the commission, covering
the financial demands of the com
panies in connection with service ex
tensions, the commission says:
1t does not appear that modifi-
cation of the rule is justified at the
| present time due to financial diff
cultes existing, with the exception
that, pending final decision of the
commission, Holton Power Com
pany and Southern Sierras Power
Company should make all extensions
without charge to applicant for
lighting service where the cost of
the same does not exceed $50 per
consumer.
/ "Under the circumstances" says tn
commissions:
1t is reasonable for the companies
4 to call upon applicants desiring SER
vice to assist them by the advance
!. i of moneys, it being understood, of
course, that whether the entire cost q
an extension is advanced the COM
pany will pay interest thereon in
cases where the company will make
the extension without advance were
RI money available. The demands for
q power developments to meet the
:. growth of business on the company S
system is taxing applicants to the
n full extent of their ability to cover
4 the cost of power-plant construction
A and general transmission and dis
a tribution additions.
| Large Sums Spent
4 Referring to data submitted by prt
itestants to the effect that street ligh
ling service in several towns was III
satisfactory, due particularly to lo
.Rvoltage, the commission says:
The evidence shows that the Hol.
ton Power Company has expended
considerable sums of money in re.
inforcing its lines and that in gen
eral these unsatisfactory conditions
have been removed. The expendi
ture for service improvement. dur
ing the past year has been in exces.
of $4,000.
The commission in declining to e.
empt Coachella Valley from the i
crease and in answer to the claim
the Coachella Valley consumers tn
they can not afford to pay more fl
power suggests that the Sierras con
, lpany waive existing contractur