Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-08-04

Public Utilities Commission Tuesday
in the matter Of the complaint of L. H.
Pettengill and others against the Mon
mouth Electric Company, dismissing
the complaint.
Certain residents of Monmouth
made complaint to this commission,
alleging that they desired service for
|. light and small power uses upon their
premises which are within the terri
tory of the Monmouth Electric Com
pany, and that although the company
had been requested to make the neces-
eary extension. the same had not been
made" say the commiss toner's in their
decision.
The evidence showed that the Mon
mouth Electric Company is occupying
and attempting to serve certain ter
ritory which includes that part of
Monmouth in which the complainants
reside continues the decision.
The lines Of the company are not
at this time built upon the highway
where these compliments live. but are
upon another highway not far distant
and at two points cross the high
way upon which the complainants live,
/ but at some distance from some Of the
. houses.
The evidence presented indicated
that some Of the compliments have a
real desire for electric current. and
others are uncertain whether they
would use the current or not On this
highway are IL houses. and it was at
one time understood that eight or
nine would take service. Eut the evi.
dence leaves us in doubt as to the ex.
act number. and we are not warrant
ed in concluding that more than five
or six would surely take service.
The total distance which a line
| would have to be built is approximate.
~ 1850 feet. 1t was at one time
thought that the poles of an existing
telephone company might be used
but investigation showed that the size
of these poles is such that many of
them would have to be replaced by
heavier and taller poles. and this
would entail a cons iderable expense.
I'VE have had our engineering force
make a very careful investigation of
the cost. both of an Independent pole
line and the cost of rehabilitating the
existing telephone line and using this
and under either scheme the expense
is so great that either a special rate
for current would have to he made to
those users who employ this line. or
else the increased cost Of operation
would have to be spread over the en-
tire body Of the onsumers of the
Monmouth Electric Company.
"Our investigation convinces US that
the rate necessary to be charged these
half dozen or more consumers would
be so great as to be prohibitive. To
spread the increased operating cost
over all the consumers of the Mon
mouth Electric Company would, &C
, cording to evidence submitted, require
an increase in the minimum monthly
charge from S100 to $50 and a rate
of Is cents per kilowatt hour for all
current consumed.
While we are loath to render de-
cision which deprives any individual
in the State from the use of electric
current, it will always happen that
certain people will be so situated that
service cannot be rendered and the
present matter strongly presents just
such a case.
We have given the matter not only
great deal of attention. but have had
several conferences and had our eX-
perts at work upon the matter to see
if some way could be devised, and we
rnI, ,,to 10
that under existing conditions and that
at this time it would not be proper
for US to attempt to require the com
pany to make the extension and rem.
der the service