Evening star., 1930-06-18
NEW plaintiffs
| SMALL CONSUMER,
ANALYSIS REVEALS
Adding CO. Cent Meter Charge
Declared Burdensome
to Thousands.
COMPANY SEES UNJUST
LOAD ON LARGE USERS
Ready, However, to Discuss Rates
With Officials on More
Favorable Basis.


the Washington Gas Light Co. yester-
day was heralded as a rate reduction,
its actual result, If adopted, will be to
increase the bills of all the small con-
sumers, while decreasing the bills of
the large consumers. This is accom-
service charge" which is added to every
bill no matter how small or how large.
Stated more accurately, the average
monthly gas bill which now is $340 will
continue $3.40 under the new rates.
Bills less than this figure will be in
creased because of the so cent service
charge. Those bills above $340 will be
reduced.
The present rate is 81 per 900 cubic
feet of gas for those who use less than
100000 cubic feet per month. The pro-
posed rates are IS cents for consumers
using up to and including 2,500 feet and
rs cents for those who use more than
2,5Q0. The so cent charge to be added
to every bill whether any gas is used
or not.
Illustration Of Proposal.
In the case of consumer who now
uses 1000 cubic feet OF gas mis- present
bill is 81. His bill under the new
schedule would be IS cents plus so
cents, or S145. The result of the new
rate to him would be an increase of
As per cent. The results to those
using less would be proportionately
greater increases.
The Public Utilities Commission
states that the average domestic con-
ffTNVN ~ Il l. q
cubic feet per month. For this con-
sumption the bill today would be $3.4O.
Under the proposed schedule the FIRST
$500 feet Of this would cost S2l2S (2.5
times 85 cents) and the next 900 would
cost $0.675 (nine times rs cents).
These add up to $3.50 and the 6O-cent
charge brings the bin up to $3.4O, the
same as under the present rate.
Calculating in the same manner a
consumer now uses 1000 feet a month,
pays $4, and under the new rate would
pay S3.7S, a saving of 6l4 per cent. A
consumer. who now pays SIS, would pay
under the new rate 1856, q saving OF
per cent.
Company View Stated.
Commenting on the meter charge to-
day President G. A. Wood, of the WASH
nston Gas Light Co., said that the
small consumers are now getting bet
Ter than an even break in paying their
bills. and that the large consumers
are helping to pay them. The proposed
scneoule Will help to even up this diff
ference, he said.
He explained that there are $4,000
meters installed by the company
through which not a single penny
worth OF gas is drawn. Some of these
are in Maryland, he added, but the
ngureS have not been segregated as yet
Although the meters registered no gas,
the company must maintain its plant
In shape to serve them should all their
owners at any time decide to use the
average consumption of gas. Further
read the meters every month, and still
further the meters represent a cash in
veStment tied up and idle.
If the meter charge is adopted, he
said, many of these meters would be
disconnected by the houSeholderS, and
probably only those in actual need of
gas would keep their meters. Thus the
company would be able more accurately
to forecast its needed supply Of gas, and
could get along on considerably reduced
plant facilities, at cash saving.
Electric Rates Cited.
The same problem exists here in the
electric field, but that Is handled by
minimum bilr' and not by a meter
charge. According to this system, there
is a minimum bill of rs cents Der
month. II a householder uses rs cents
worth of electricity or less, he pays
rs cents. If he uses 80 cents worth, 30
cents is all he pays. The effect of the
meter charge" however would be that
II q householder used SO cents worth of
gas, he would pay $1.20 and II he used
so cents worth, he would pay $1.lo.
Admitting that many of the small
consumers would have increased gas
bills under the proposed rates, Mr..
Wood said that the rates proposed were
the least favorable the company was
willing to offer, and that If the Public
Utilities Commission wanted more IA
vorable rates his company would be
ready to talk business" with them.
The commission will have the rate
schedule before it for discussion at its
regular meeting tomorrow. Whether 1t
will do anything about 1t Is highly
problematical The rates were submit
ted conditionally upon the passage by
Congress of the bill to merge the Wash
ington Gas Light Co. with the George
Continued on Page 2, Column 81