Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-10-28
ELECTR|C|Ty'S USE
SPREADING RAPIDLY
Latest Figures Show Amaz.
ing Demand for Home and
Industrial Current.
BY j. c. ROYLE.

The use of electric current for do
nestle lighting and industrial pur-
poses is now at the highest rate ever
reached in the history of the United
States or the world. Production OF
current now is at the rate of 64,70O,-
5000 kilowatt hours for the year.
This is an increase Of $1,000, 000,O 900
kiloWatt hours as compared with 1870
The output of the public utilities con-
Germs for August alone, month
where plants In the South were seri-
ously hampered by drought, approx
mates $4,000. 900, 900 kilowatt hours.
Consumers Increasing.
Gross revenues for the power com
panies are increasing at the rate or
81 800 900 900 for the year, while in
creases in capital investment during
1925 will total $1,000, 100000 before
January 1. The number of consumers
of electricity and the varied uses to
which that term can be applied have
reached the highest point the industry
has ever known. The number of resi-
dental consumers now is about 49,
100000. This compares with $780,
600 five years ago.
Commercial lighting consumers have
increased from 100000 in 1920 to
100000 this year. Power con
sumers, including factories and street
railroads. have grown from 2Sb,OOu
in 1920 to 100000 today. The total
of American consumers this year is
1 400 900, which compares with 1850,
900 only five years ago. These In
creases make up one of the outstand
ing business developments of the
year.
Radio Boost Large.
Power consumption Is greatest in
y, u =
trail States, approximately so per cent
of the entire output Of the country
being used in these sections. Growth
in the use of electricity this year has
been most noticeable in the home
and III rural communities.
The use of electric appliances is
growing at an astonishing rate, the
largest single gain being registered
in the installation OF electric refrige-
ra tors
The popularity of the radio has
increased the yearly revenue of the
power companies by 100000 900, ac-
cording to latest estimates, and
power concerns expect the returns
from this branch of their business to
amount to s100,0oo,000 annually be-
fore 1880.
Current Easy to Get.
development oil SuperpOWer prof.
ects is making ii possible to relay d
tremendous amount of current 10 in :
dustrial and densely populated re-
EionS at a moments notice. These
transmission lines. passing through
rural sections, also have brought sup
plies of power into the farming com
munities, and the farmers are rap
idly taking advantage of this fact
Thirty seven per cent of the area OF
Utah now is reached by power trans
mission lines, and the development in
California is almost as large The
introduction of electricity on the farm
is looked upon as a material factor in
reducing the exodus from the soil &c
the cities
The marked feature OF the develop
ment of the electric industry this year
has been the gradual absorption OF
private and isolated plants by large
holding companies. Private stations
are disappearing and use of electricity
in industrial plants from centralized
stations is growing rapidly
The price of electricity to com
sumers is gradually decreasing. The
tendency is not so much toward 4
general reduction in rates as iowa re
a readjustment by which each con
sumner pays for what he actually uses
rather than for what he might use
with the equipment furnished him.
Contrary to expectations. there has
been no great increase in the develop
nent of steam plants at the pit mouth
of hydro-electric power, coal is still
dustry.
(Copyrikht 1921