Evening star., 1943-03-17
Head Of Pepco
Defends Price
u. 5.
NeoI Says 1t Is
Lowest Of Any Of
6 Largest Producers
BY DON s. WARREN.

The Potomac Electric Power Co.
is charging Government agencies
the lowest per kilowatt hour price of
any six power concerns producing
annually the most electric current,
according to figures taken from
Federal Power Commission reports,
the Public Utilities Commission was
told today.
Testimony to this effect by A. G..
Neal, Pepco president, was per-
mitted to go into the record of tie
sliding-scale rate case over objeC-
tions by attorneys for the OPA and
the Treasury Procurement Division.
When hearings were resumed to-
day, after a recess Saturday, lawyers
for the company and the OPA de-
hated whether rate comparisons are
admissible evidence. Gregory Ham
kin, member Of the PUG, agreed with
Chairman James H. Flanagan and
Engineer Commissioner Charles w.
Kutz on the ruling. but in a state
ment said the issue had been be
clouded" in some of the counsel ar
guments.
Comparisons Admitted.
The company, therefore, got into
the record comparative figures
which we're blocked Saturday by OBJ
jections from Harry R. Booth, OPA
attorney, and Thurman Hill, repre-
senting the Treasury. At that time,
Chairman Flanagan said he would
sustain objections from the two
Federal attorneys If they were OBJ
jecting to presentation of statistics
prepared by a very competent and
reputable Federal agency"
The Federal attorneys did not like
the way Mr.. Flanagan had stated
the case, and explained they we're
objecting because they felt the un-
derlying conditions of the compared
companies actually were not COM
parable.
Before that exchange Saturday,
Mr.. Neal read into the record other
data from FPC statistics-which
we're allowed to stay in the record
under today's ruling-shoWing that
average residential rates here COM
pared favorably with those of any
place in the country, including cities
having municipal plants and those
under IVA operation.
Rate Figures Given.
The comparison put in the record
today dealt with FPC reports for
| l94l as to revenue from sale of cur
rent to municipal, Federal or State
agencies by the six power, COM
/ panies which produce and sell LOO
100000 kilowatt- or mort: a
year. His testimony was that: .,..tta:
The Brooklyn Edison Co. Sold
1873, ,380, 900 kiloWatt- hours at S2.088.-
002. an average price per kilowatt OF
LA cents;
Commonwealth Edison Of Chicago
sold 125, $4,000 kilowatt-hours at
81, l,661 ,l76, price of 1872 cents;
Consolidated-Edison of New York
| sold 497, 100000 kilowatt hours at
s4,851 ,222, a price of 98 cents;
New York and Queens Electric
Light & Power Co. sold 149 ,4O6 900
kilowatt hours at s1,524,l55, a price
Of l 02 cents,
Southern California Edison Co.
sold 103, ,397 900 kilowatt hours at
81 .667 ,185, price of 1.62 cents; and
Pepco sold to the Federal and Dis
trlct Government agencies 295.956.-
600 kilowatt hours at s2,793,285, a
price of "a cents.
Taken From Five Cities.
Mr.. Neal explained that these
figures were taken from FPC reports
for the five other cities, but that in
the case of the Pepco figures they
were computed in keeping with
statistics in the FPC tables.
The morning session was featured
by sharp exchanges between coun-
sci. Mr. Booth, on cross -examina-
ton of Mr.. Neal. sought to ask him
about calculations in commission
exhibit which had been prepared
by V. A. McElfresh. PUG chief &C
countant. William K. Laws of Pepco
! counsel. objected, saying that Mr..
! Neal had neither prepared nor testi-
fled On this exhibit.
When Chairman Flanagan started
to say. L think I'll have to"
Mr.. Booth interjected, DO I under
stand the company can put a wit
ness on the stand, have him testify
for half hour and then we are not
permitted to cross-eXamine him?"
That's absurd declared Rich
mond B. Keech, corporation counsel,
who is general counsel to the PUG,