Evening star., 1939-01-26
Rankin Asks
I. Y. A. Rates
For D. {.
Record Is Called
Appalling From Users
Standpoint

Standpoint
+. v. A. light and power rates for
the District of Columbia were de-
manded today by Representative
Rankin, Democrat, of Mississippi,
chairman of the public power bloc
In the House, in letter to the in
dividual members of the Public
Utilities Commission.
while you are on the problem of
readjrsting light and power rates
for the District" wrote Mr.. Rankin,
Il think it but fair for me to let
you know that I have been investi-
eating this proposition for some
time and that in justice to the elec-
trio consumers in the District am
going to demand that the rates here
be reduced at least to the T. V. A.
yardstick levels. This should have
been done long ago. The record
from the consumers standpoint is
appalling"
Mr.. Rankin explained that he had
no desire to embarass the Public
Utilities Commission or to cause any
trouble to it. He emphasized, how
ever that he is determined to see
that electric light and power rates
here are reduced ito their proper
levels He said emphatically that
he intends to insist that the dupli-
cation OF meters be eliminated,
Quick Reply Asked.
THE power company" he ex-
planned, lis in the habit of requir-
Ing residential and commercial and
probably industrial consumers to use
two or more meters in order that
they may charge the highest rate
Tor the largest possible amount of
electricity consumed"
He asked the members of the
Public Utilities Commission to reply
TO today's letter as soon as possible,
because this matter of justice to
the electric consumers of the Dis
trict cannot be longer DELAYED"
Commenting on his proposal Mr.,
Rankin, who is now a member of
the Rivers and Harbors Committee.
said that unless he gets immediate
results he will take Official action
and II necessary summon the Public
Utilities Commission before the
Rivers and Harbors Committee on
the hearings on the Potomac Valley
Authority BILL" which he has in
troduced. He declared his intention
Of demanding an explanation at that
nearing as to why they had per-
mitted the power company to charge
the people of the District such rates
as to earn as high as rs per cent a
year on their common stock.
Material to Be Given House.
II am preparing material now to
present this whole picture to the
House at an early date" he said.
Il wish every electric consumer in
the District could learn the facts
Since local newspapers do not seem
to be willing to give this question
80 vitally concerning the people of
the District the publicity it de-
serves" He said that he expects
to discuss this matter fully in a
radio broadcast within the next
few days.
Mr.. Rankin wrote as rate experts
OF the Potomac Electric Power Co.
were engaged today in the prepara-
ton of proposed new schedules of
charges to their customers to carry
into effect what rate-reductions
may be ordered before the end of
the week by the Public Utilities
Commission.
There is a difference of roughly
$4,000 between the company and
the commissions staff as to what
sum should be adopted as available
for rate-reduction during the en-
suing IL months.
Public Hearing Waits.
According to calculations made
by B. M. Bachman, commissions
chief accountant, the amount avail
able for rate reduction totals slightly
more than 100000. The company
claims the reduction should be about
$4,000 less.
The public hearing on the annual
adjustment of the power rate under
the sliding scale plan of the COM
pany, which was started yesterday,
was in adjournment today to await
the results of suggestions for ap-
portionment OF the rate reduction
among various classes of consumers.
The hearing is to be resumed at
10 am. tomorrow.