Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-07-20
HIGHER ELECTRIC
RATESFOR ALL D. c.
USERS IS ASKED
Company Files Petition With
the Public Utilities Com
mission.

An increase in the rates to all con-
sumers of electricity is asked by the
Potomac Electric Power Company in
a petition filed with the Public Util-
tiles Commission.
mission to increase the rate to large
wholesale Consumers to meet the
higher cost of coal. At the hearings
on that application the contention
was made that since the advance in
coal affects all current manufactured
should be distributed to all users and
not placed only on the wholesale, or
sch edule E. customers.
Counsel for one of the large con-
sumers asked the commission to dis
miss the plea for an increase to
wholesale users only. The commits
sion did not act on that request, but
the company OF it's own accord has
amended it's original petition asking
that all of its rates be revised.
Hearing to BE Held.
The commission announced today
that it would hold public hearing
in the boardroom of the District
building at 1890 o'clock on the morn
ing of August 2 to consider the
amended bill for general revision
At the present time the thousands
VI private nOuSenOluerS are paying ~
cents per kilowatt hour for current.
The commission several years ago re-
duced this rate to cents, but the
company obtained an injunction from
the District Supreme Court to prevent
the operation of this rate.
Under the terms Of the injunction
the consumers continue to pay 10
cents. but the company is required to
set aside cents in fund to be re-
turned to the customers in the event
that the court finally upholds the
valuation of the company's property
as fixed by the commission. 1t was
with this valuation as basis that the
commission decided to reduce the rate
to cents several years ago.
In its amended petition just filed
states that existing rates 'in their
entirety are on-compensatory. insult
hcient and conf1scatory."
The company does not say what
rate should be fixed for small users
in order to give the company the
amount OF revenue it claims to need.
Mr.. Hams View.
Asked today If he thought the injunc-
ton OF the District Supreme Court pre-
vents the commission from changing
the Scent rate while the valuation case
is pending in court, William F. Ham,
president OF the power COMPANY. said
t tnat the Injunction was issued to pro-
the rate. He said that if the commits
sion decides that all rates should be re-
vIsed at this time the company will ask
the court for permission to allow the
commission to revise the rates.
Since the Issuance of the injunction
against the reduction from 10 to 8 cents
per kilowatt hour more than a million
dollars has accumulated in the fund
which represents the difference between
the two rates.
Mr.. Ham in his amended petition
does not say how much the cent
rate should be increased, except the
statement that the rates heretofore
established ''be SO increased as to
AFFORD a reasonable return upon it's
property now used in the public
service
Text of Amended Petition.
After stating that the revenue now
derived from schedule E. or whole
sale consumers. is INADEQUATE. the
amended petition SAYS:
I'm addition thereto we respectfully
show to the commission that the
present existing rates of the company
in their entirety are also non-com-
pensatory. insufficient and confisca-
tory. in that. whether based upon the
present value of it's entire property
or the valuation there made by this
commission by its Order, No. EOS.
plus net additions thereto since made.
ana winch valuation is wholly unrea-
sonable and is now the subject of
an appeal to the courts. the entire
revenues derived Hereunder are in
sumclent to afford a fair return upon
the lair value of the said propertv
at the present time over and above
all operating and maintenance ex-
penses.'