Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-08-16
P. j, COM. DISMISS
COMPLAINT AGAINST
MT. VERNON LIGHT co.

A decree was handed down by the
Public Utilities Commission on Sat
urday dismissing the complaint sign
ed by G. w. Billings and more than
nine other citizens of the town OF
Mt. Vernon against the Mt. Vernon
Light and Power Company alleging
insufficient equipment, gross negli-
gence, low voltage and intermittent
service.
The Commission states it's opinion
that the causes of complaint have
been removed. "If the service in the
future proves to be unsatisfactory
the matter may be brought to the at
tention of the Commission on new
complaint" Hearing on the COM
plant was held Aug. o. 1925. at Mt
Vernon. The order of the Commits
sions says in part:
1.-THE Mt. Vernon Light and Power
Company. which furnishes electric
current for lighting and power pur-
poses to- the village of Mt. Vernon
is supplied from plant of the
Pennington Falls Electric Company
through a transmission line which
operates at 6600 volts. and which
terminates at the substation in
Pennington Falls. At Pennington
Falls there is a generator which has
a rating of 20 l1va. The generator is
connected to the system through a
knife switch which is arranged sc
that at times when the generator is
not operating service can be sup
piled from the Franklin Light and
Power Company, to which a con-
nection is made by a transmission
line from the substation at Farming
ton Falls to Pennington. Thi strans-
mission line is operated at $1,000
volts and is stepped down volts
where it is metered and sent out as
3-phase which supplies Mt. Vernon
and Vienna, there is a single phase
line which runs toward Pennington
There is also third-single phase
line which runs out in another dir
ection from Pennington Falls. En-
cept for the power which is sup
piled to New Sharon and to a few
services in Farmingto malls, practi-
cally the entire load on the lines OF
the two companies involved in this
case is single-phase power.
"A1r. George w. Weymouth OF
Pennington Falls is the manager
and principal owner of Mt. Vernon
Electric Light and Power Co, and
Pennington Falls Electric Co. Since
the time of the hearing. conferences
have been held with the manage
ment of these companies and fur
ther investigation made by our En-
gineering Department; and some
suggestions have been made to Mr..
Weymouth. the adoption of which, in
the opinion of our engineers, would
result in Improvement of the SER
vice at Mt. Vernon. A recent inves-
tlgation and an inspection of the
lines and equipment of the Mt. Yer
non and Pennington Falls Com
panieS show that the lines leading
to Mt. Vernon have been improved
to some extent by the trimming OF
trees and certain minor changes
which have apparently resulted in
much better service to Nj Vernon
1t also appears that Mr.. Weymouth s
telephone service between Mt. Yer.
non and Pennington Falls has been
extended and improved, so that he
is enabled to give better and quick.
err service to Mt. Vernon in event OF
any accidents or other matters re.
quiring his attention.
THE allegation of insufficient,
equipment was based principally
upon the fact that at the time the
complaint was made and prior to
the hearing several transformers
had been put out of commission bv
the lightning, resulting in serious
Interruptions of service. 1t appeared
that these transformers had not been
adequately protected by lightning
arresters, which fact doubtless &C.
counted for the unusually large
damage by lightning. These trans
formers have since been replaced
and lightning arresters have been in
stalled. Since that time very little
trouble has been caused by lightning
Some surplus stock should however
be carried at all times, so that nc
undue interruption of service NAV
be caused by accident or otherwise,
while we are not convinced tina,
Mr.. Weymouth was guilty of gross
negligence in the management of the
Mt. Vernon Company, it did appear
that communication with him by
telephone was difficult and often i'm,
possible. The improvement in his
telephone service has apparently
corrected this cause by complaint.
The cause of complaint of low
voltage and intermittent service will
IN our opinion, be removed by the
improvements already made and by
certain other improvements which
nave been recommended and which
ne has agreed to make"