Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-12
|ELECTR|CITY'SUSE
IN HOMES GROWS
Larger Private Consumption
of Power Offsets Decline in
Commercial Demands.
BY GEORGE E. DoYING.

Despite increasing investigations into
their operations and financial structure
and Affiliations, the electric utilities of
the country are continuing to develop
steady increase in the use of cleo
tricity IN private homes, which has
largely Offset the decline in commercial
demands.
The Federal Power Commission.
which recently announced that it would
make a general inquiry into the
finances, management and control of
licensee power companies now has given
notice that it Is beginning an engineer
ing and economic study of the electrical
industry with particular reference to the
relations between the water power in
dustry and other closely related indus
tries.
The general Investigation is under
the direction of DR.. Walter w. M,
Splawn, who several months ago made
an exhaustive report on railroad con-
solidations. The engineering division
of the Power Commission is making the
additional study.
Hearings to be Resumed.
las a result Of the study" the COM
missions announcement said, "the
commission hopes to acquire full and
authentic information relative to the
development and transmission of power
in the hydro-electric and fuel electric
fields. both generally and as restricted
TO certain geographical divisions of the
United States"
Inquiries are being made not only
from licensee companies, but from those
afhliated with them. The hearings by
the Federal Trade Commission, which
already have been in progress for two
years, will be resumed in the Fall In
addition some of the State commits
sions are planning Statewide inquiries
of the public utilities, while in Texas
the Attorney General is so engaged.
The electric industry, however, seems
to thrive on investigations. The United
States Geological Survey has just an
nounced that the depression, which
caused a falling of in the use of cleo
trio power by many commercial users,
apparently has not affected domestic
service.
Coupled with the extension of cleo
trio service to variety of uses in the
home it was stated by A. H. Horton of
the power resources division of the
Geological Survey, that there has been
steady decline in the average price
to purchasers and that in the past
decade the consumers Of current in the
home have been saved $3.50 ,000, 900.
Increase Seen Soon.
1t is believed, according to Mr.. Hor-
ton, that the bottom has been reached
in the decline of commercial demand
and that the consumption curve will
soon begin to rise. During the past
six months the total output declined
per cent, due principally to continual
ton Of the drought, which has affected
production by hydro-electric plants.
Total revenue showed a decline of per
cent during the IL months from April,
1890, to May, 1881. decreasing from
1851 $4,000 to $l58, 100000. During
this period, however, approximately
800 900 domestic consumers were added,
while there was an increase of 16,770
in the number of small power useSs.
The larger light and power consumers
decreased by 904.
There are now in the United States
approximately 20, 100000 domestic con-
sumers, 100000 small light and power
consumers and 500 900 large light and
power users. About 70 per cent of all
homes in this country are served by
electricity. Domestic and farm con-
sumers numbered only about 3,100, 900
in 1912, and had increased to 10000 900
in 1922 and to about 100000 in 1927.
During the last 10 years the average
domestic consumer has increased his
use of electricity by So per cent, while
his annual bill has increased only 81
per cent.
fCopyrizht 1887