Evening star., 1940-02-04
Order Issued
For Slash in
Power Rates
Annual oIAdjustment
Affects Domestic,
Commercial Users
By DON s. WARREN.

BY DON s. WARREN.
For the 18th consecutive year,
rates of the Potomac Electric Power
Co. have been reduced by opera
ton of the sliding scale plan used
for annual adjustment Of the
charges, giving Washington domes-
tic and commercial rates lower than
those of most communities.
The Public Utilities Commission
yesterday issued formal order for
a rate cut for the next IL months
aggregating some $575,000, with
$155, ,375 allocated to residential Gus
toners and $4l9,912 to customers
using commercial schedules. The
new rates are effective on all meter
readings on or after February /.
AS the new schedules were an
nounced, study revealed that Wash
ington's rates for power were lower
than the. average electric bills for
other communities Of the country
of $4,000 or more population-ex-
cept for industrial schedules. The
industrial charges are higher here
in many instances, and the explana-
ton Is given that Washington has
little industrial current demands.
Based on Rate Comparisons.
These unomcial estimates are
based on comparisons of Washing
tons rates with the average elec-
trio bills for 1889 as reported in the
latest publication of such statistics
by the Federal Power Commission.
In one instance one bracket of
Washington rates for commercial
power use was higher than the low
est State average.
Some observers say Washington
domestic schedules compare favor-
ably with the "yardstick" rates of
the T. v. A.
The new domestic. or residential
schedule announced by the commits
sion, was calculated to call for
reduction of 10 cents a month in
the bills of the average domestic
consumer. The benefit to the in
dividual householder is so small be-
cause there are so many customers
over which the domestic cut must
be spread. However, last year the
average residential cut was figured
to about less than half of this
years.
The new residential schedule "a"
Is available to individual residences
for any purpose, except that it may
not be used for auxiliary, emer-
gency or breakdown service or for
buildings in which there are five or
more rooms for hire as lodging.
The new rates are:
For the first 40 kilowatt hours
monthly consumption, 80 cents; for
the next 80 kilowatt hours. Its
cents, and for electricity consumed
monthly In excess of 100 kilowatt
hours, Is cents. IF bills are not
paid within 20 days there is a 10
per cent increase in charges.
Past Years Rates.
The residential rates for the lat
year were: For the first As kilowatt
hours, 80; for the next 80 kilowatt
hours, IL, and for electricity con-
sumed monthly in excess Of 126 kilo-
watt hours, is cents.
The new commercial schedule %"
which Is available for low voltage
service for general lighting, power.
industrial motors, battery charging
and other industrial purposes, is as
follows:
For the first 80 kilowatt hours.
monthly consumption, 3.8 cents;
next 400 kilowatt hours, 23 cents,
and for any in excess Of 480 kilo-
watt hours, 81 cents.
The old rate was: For the first
100 kilowatt hours, 38 cents: for
the next $50 kilowatt hours, 28
cents: for the next 1900 kilowatt
hours, 2.5 cents and for any excess
over 1850 kilowatt hours, 2 cents.
The new commercial schedule 'E,'
which Is available for low voltage
electric service used for general
lighting, power, industrial motors,
battery charging and other CONNER
cial purposes, is as follows:
For the first 10 kilowatt hours,
monthly consumption, 3.8 cents; for
the next $50 kilowat hours, % cents;
next 1850 kilowatt hours, 90 cents;
next $4,000 kilowatt hours, IL cents:
next 1000 kilowatt hours, IL cents:
next $50, 900 kilowatt hours. OF cents,
and for any in excess Of 200, 1000 kilo-
watt hours, 6 cents.
Commercial Schedule "L."
For the first 80 kilowatt hours
monthly consumption, 3.8 cents next
400 kilowatt hours, 23 cents; next
5,220 kilowatt hours, 81 cents: next
33,050 kilowatt hours. 1.3 cents; next
100000 kilowatt hours, OF cent; in
excess of 188,750 kilowatt hours,
06 cent.
A small" portion of the rate cut
was given to users of commercial
schedule "L." This is available for
high-tension electric service used
for any commercial purpose, the
consumer providing at his own ex-
pense all necessary transformers
or other converting apparatus,
switches, disconnectors, regulators
and the like.
The new schedule IL" Is as fol-
lows:
For the first $4,000 kilowatt hours,
IL cents; next IS ZOO kilowatt hours,
0.9 cent; next 100000 klowatt hours,
06 cent, and for any in excess Of
10000 kilowatt hours, 05 cent.
The old schedule was:
For the first 1880 kilowatt hours,
IA cents; for the next $4,000 kilo-
watt hours, 0.9 cent; for the next
10000 kilowatt hours, 0.6 cent;
for any in excess Of 188,750 kilo.
watt hours, 0.5 cent.
Charges for this schedule are sup
plemented by a demand charge,
which under the revised rates will
be $3.50 per kilowatt for the first
10n kiloua tie of conS1lxnar,e ,ono,a&h