Evening star., 1924-02-11
WELLER CR|TC|zES
!. GREAT FALLS PLAN
Says Power Would Not Un-
derseII That Generated by
Steam Plants.

DEVELOPMENTS of the hydroelectric
possibilities of the Potomac river as
a source for cheap electric power for
WASHINGTON and surrounding terri
tory must be considered primarily as
an economic matter and not as
matter of sentiment, according 10
Francis r. Weller. chairman OF the
water supply committee of the Board
Of Trade. Mr.. Weller was one. of the
moving factors in securing passage OF
the bill authorizing completion OF the
new S3,000,0 600 water conduit now un-
der construction along the Conduit
road.
Engineering figures prepared by
Mai NJ c. Tyler. Engineer Corps.
United States Army. while they show
!; smaller unit cost of power develop
lnent both by partial and complete
development of. the power possibili-
ties OF the Potomac. fail to show a
great enough margin of difference
over costs of electric power produc-
ton by present steam plants in Wash
ington to make the hydro electric de-
Telopment the complete and dazzling
success it's hackers claim. MIR. Weller
declared. The Tyler report. on which
Il subcommittee OF the House District
committee will hold hearings in con-
ncction with the Zihlman- Moore bill
now before the House next week,
does not take into practical consider
;,tion two factors. both of prime i'm
portance IN power ueSeiopIHeHl, MI
Weller said.
Delivery and Use OF Power.
These two factors are: Coct OF de-
livery and possibility of use of the
ultimate power developed. both OF
which enter greatly into the eco
nonlic phase OF any hSdro-electiie
development of the Potomac river.
ton cost per kilowatt hour OF eiec-
tric power at both the Great rails
and Chain Bridge power stations or
90 cents The Potomac Electrlc
Power Company's annual report lot
1923 shows Il cost of 6.S cents per
kilowatt hour for production. dif-
ference of 8 mills. This. Mr.
Weller claims. does not economlcallS
Justify the Potomac river develop
ment. particularly when ti ,ne cos in nm. n.
derground conduits as required os
the law is added.
The present steam plant seillng
power in Washington liked It's aver
pee distribution and delivery costs
last year at % cents per kllowatt
hour. The private consumer III
washington pays 10 cents per kiio-
watt hour for electric power de-
livered. although the large consu.re mtsa =
pays less on a contract basis. Inc
Government departments ana iarse
users of electric power mere puS IL
much cheaper than does the ASH
continuous use and the doing away
with extensive transformers ana d
multiplicity Of underground conoults.
Mai. Tyler's report does not consider
the distribution cost OF the power oe
Neloped by the Potomac -.
ANY talk about one-cent power IN
Washington is just mere talk' MI.
Weller declared today. EVEN tnrse-
cent or fire-cent power mere Is haIGls
within the bounds of possibility under
comnieted DEVELOPMENT of the Potomac
river as source of electric energy
The manv factors entering into the oe-
liyered cost of electric power not con,
sidered in the Tyler report "oulu auo
~reatly TO the cost TO the consumer.
In other words. Mr.. Weller claims
that the cost of power generateu DS tne
Potomac river would not be apie 70 uil-
dersell the cost of power now gener-
ated by steam plants TO any great eX-
toni even with the possibility that coal
necessary to steam-nlant productioh u
electric power may go hlgher.
In fact. coal is now on a compara-
tiyeIy low quantity price basis. Ana
rhe engineer claims that the declara-
tions of con.ervatIonistS that tne nd,
1ion's coal must be saved by tull
utilization OF water as "A means OF
mower DEVELOPMENT are false, point
ing to the many billions or tons or
GOAL underground in West Virginia
alone.
QrestiGn of Linking System.
Unless the government purchased
the Renning plant of the Potomac
Electric Power Company, which now
develops the power used in Wash
ington, Mr. Weller said. in all prob
ability the engineers of the local
steam plant would advise against
linking up CT its aystem of distribu-
tion unless a greater margin of diff
ference between the production cost
at Great Falls and the steam plant
cosf could be shown.
Mr.. Weller will not testify at the
coming hearings unless he is asked
to do so by the subcommittee. whose
chairman is Representative Fred n.
Zihlman of Maryland. He will, how
ever, attend the hearings as a repre-
sentative of the Board of Trade, which
is greatly interested, he said, in the
entire power development matter.
At the present time, Mr.. Weller
said there is need for but about
half the possible output of the Great
Falls and Chain bridge power de-
velopments, Industries and house.
holders here needing but about 300,-
900 horsepower against a possible
river development of about $4,000
horsepower.