Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-12-17
Pepco 10 Supply
Extra Power for
Nearby Virginia
Federal Commission
Orders Immediate
Interconnection

Declaring q power emergency
exists In Northern Virginia, par
ticularly in Alexandria and In
Arlington, Fairfax and Loudoun
Counties, the Federal Power Com
yesterday ordered an i'm
mediate interconnection between
the Potomac Electric Power Co. and
the Virginia Public Service Co.
The new power link will be made
through a power cable that is to
extend under the Potomac River
from Pepcos facilities in Washing
ton to or near the new War Depart
ment Building on the old airport
site in Arlington. Delivery of cur
rent will be made through the facili-
ties of the Braddock Light e. Power
Co., a Pepco subsidiary which al
ready serves portion Of Arlington
County.
The commission invoked its
powers under the Federal Power Act
to declare the existence of an emer-
gency, created. the commission said,
by the greatly increased residential
load resulting from population in
creases and defense housing, as we'll
as new Federal establishments in
the area including the new Navy
building In Arlington, the naval
torpedo plant in Alexandria, in
creased power needs at Fort Belvoir.
the Arlington cantonment, the new
quartermaster corps warehouse west
of Alexandria, the Washington Ma
tional Airport and the new War De.
partment Building"
Increase of q Third.
The interconnection will increase
the capacity available to V. P. S. TO
serve its expanding power load ap-
proximately one-third and will con-
sist of transformers and other trans
mission facilities. The capacity will
be approximately 10000 kilovolt
ampereS.
The companies have been ordered
to file statement of arrangements
and construction schedule with the
| commission within 81 days and to
make periodic reports twice each
month thereafter on all arrange
ments and orders for interconnec-
ton equipment.
In November the commission
effected a 1,500-kilowatt capacity
interconnection between the two
systems at the Virginia end of Key
Bridge to increase the power supply
in Northern Virginia. This inter
connection utilized to the limit the
capacity of the cable located neal
Key Bridge.
Concerning the newly ordered con.
nection, the commission said thai
if the companies fail to agree or
terms and conditions, the commits
sion will prescribe such condition.
as it finds just and reasonable in a
supplemental order.
u The present order follows a plea
which has been made for a year by
local Government officials and org.
anized civic groups irritated by nu.
merous power failures in the v. P. S
system.
Conference Recently Held.
The Federal Power Commission
met recently with Edmund D. Camp
bell of the Arlington County Board
Mrs. Alma Ramsay, chairman of tn,
Arlington County Public Utilitiei
Commission, and j. Maynard Ma
gruder, chairman Of the Power Com
mite of the Northern Virginia Regi
onal Defense Council. The commls
sion was then urged to order tn,
: interconnection.
/ Officials at the V. P. S. have lon,
, contended that an interconnectiol
| between that system and Pepct
! would be an engineering impossible
ity because of technical problems in
volved and differences in certain
r current characteristics.
President w. E. Wood said toda,
= the interconnection will be brough
r about by cutting off portion of tn
: territory now served by v. P. S
= and feeding this blocked-off are
= with Pepco current. Merely as al
!. example and not as an indication
= of what will be done, Mr. Wood SAT-
f an area such as Arlington might b
v taken out of the V. P. S. system AM
| be fed from Pepco generators.
In any event, Mr.. Wood explained
:. customers in the blocked off area
even though they are served b
Pepco, will be billed and serviced b
the " P. S. organization
The V. P. S. generating plant 70
the Northern Virginia area is stu
ated in Alexandria and has a ca
pacity of 29,250 kilowatts. A $4,000
kilowatt plant expansion project ha
:. been planned and was to be com
}, pleted in August, 1912, Mr.. Woo
r said. but materials have been de
+ layed because of priorities restric
e tons. He said the new intercon
nection probably would provide tn
t current which would have been fun
h nished from the proposed addition
The addition may have to wait unit
n August, 1913, before completion, M
= Wood said