Vashon Island news-record. [volume] (Vashon, Wash.) 1919-1954, 1929-01-18
POWER COMPANY
EXPANDS RAPIDLY
500 MILES or NEW LINES TO
SERVE 1000 FARMS

Covering the most ambitious
program of power development
and service extension and improve
ment ever undertaken in a single
year, directors of the Puget Sound
Power & Light Company have lust
adopted budget of almost nine
million dollars to meet its construc-
tion requirements for 1929, accord
ing to an announcement made by
W. II Mctirath, vice president Of
the company.
The company budget for 1928
was approximately five million
dollars, while the only year in
| which expenditures approximated
those contemplated for 1929, was
in 1925 when budget of over
eight million dollars was adopted
mainly to cover construction cost
on the Baker River hydro-electric
development.
While nearly $5,000,000.00 has
been set aside in the 1929 budget
for the completion of the Shuttle
ten Power Plant, near Renton, the
balance of almost $4,000000 will
be distributed in every department
Of company activity throughout
Western and Central Washington.
The principal power develop
ment will be, of course, the com
pletion of the Shuffleton plant onI
which construction started last
October and ON which some $500
10000 has already been spent. This
big steam plant, when completed,
will have a generating capacity
OF almost 10000 horse power and
will have cost a total of about So
500,00000 this figure including
The cost Of necessary rights of way
and the construction of large
power switching station, all as
previously announced. 1t is ex-
pected that the entire project will
be completed and in operation by
September, 1929.
In addition to this power devel
opment, about 1925, 10000 is APP
propriated for the installation OF
a 1860 kilowatt generating unit at
the Election plant, replacing a
5000 klloWatt unit which was
burned out during the summer of |
1928, The total cost of this install |
alton is estimated at about $780,
O00O0, part Of which was met dur
irg 1928.
Perhaps the most significant
item on the entire budget is the
sum OF $l,4l3,60o.00 which has
been appropriated for line extern
sions and connecting new light and
poNei customers, 1t is estimated
that during 1929 not less than 500I
niles Of new distribution lines will
be constructed, taking electric ser
vice to approximately 1000 farms
and to about 5000 other new Gus
toners, This, rs a matter of fact,
IS about the same program as
that put mo effect by the com
paay duing 1928.
These farm extensions and new
customers viii enjoy the same scr
wee aud conyeuiences as the ethyl
users, and will he greatly benefit
ted by the Improvement.
More than $l3G,000 will he spent
in the purchase of ten new stage |
coaches and for other transporta-
tieu equipment. -Four of these
will be used for the Seattle andI
Vancouver. h. C., runs, and six for
service between Seattle and Taco
ma.
II is to br noted that the total Of
almost $9,000,00O does not take
INTO account payroll and operat-
ing expenses amounting TO almost
81 10000 annually, interest pay
mruts on some S20.000,000 WORTH
Of securities held by residents of
the state, nor tax payments which
amounted to - .3000O0.O0 in 1928. |
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