Evening star., 1946-05-08
Brownout Compliance
Raises Hope That D. {.
Can Weather Crisis

NUu w VU1IIVl NIISIS -
Increasing compliance with
the Commissioners brownout
order gave power utility officials
reason to hope today that the
District will weather the coal
shortage without more drastic
controls on electricity.
But in nearby Arlington and Fair
fax Counties and 81 other Virginia
counties, confusion accompanied the
State Corporation Commissions Or
der sharply curtailing distribution
of electric current after midnight
tomorrow.
Stores and other commercial estab-
lishments were faced with curtailed
hours, to stay within the 24-hour
per week electric service granted
|nonessential industries by the COM
mission. In Richmond, major de-
partment stores already have adopt
ed 1-to-5 pm. business day, and
stores in suburban Virginia were
expected to arrange similar hours.
Clarification Sought.
Commission Chairman L. Nc
Carthy Downs Interpretation that
newspapers. radio stations and Of
flee buildings fell under the a.
hour edict caused the Corporation
Commission to be deluged with re-
o,IeSts for clarifica tiop
Such radio stations as WPIK in
Alexandria and newspapers like the
Alexandria Gazette and Arlington
Daily were to be restricted. WPIK
will stay on the air with the help
of gasoline generating system just
installed. Four Richmond stations
also will develop their own power
The newspapers were awaiting Off
cial notification before determining
what action to take.
After midnight tomorrow electric
power will be denied all amusement
places served by the Virginia Elec-
trio & Power Co. and the Braddock
Light 81 Power Co.
Pepco Manager Optimistic.
AS District Commissioners con-
tinued to study the "brownout" to
determine whether it will be neces-
sary to eliminate electricity to
amusement places and schools, J. H.
Ferry, general manager of the Po-
tomac Electric Power Co., found
reason for optimism.
Yesterday District consumers CO.
operated with the dimout regula-
tons to the extent that a l6-per-
cent saving, S per cent better than
Monday. was recorded by Pepco.
But this still is below the 80 per
cent Mr.. Ferry said must be saved
to permit the company to operate
into the second week of June.
Mr.. Ferry's estimate also was
based on 3 per cent or 2,400 tons
of coal per month saving effected
by cancellation of service to Vepco
and on the fact that with an addi-
tional 81 carloads of coal allotted by
Solid Fuels Administration today
the company has been promised 262
carloads of fuel.
16ee Saving Reported.
This mornings check of the
Pepco systems load indicated the
savings due to the Commissioners
restriction order has reached ap-
proximately Is per cent, with indi-
cations that the reduction is pro-
gressively increasing as public COM
pliance becomes more uniform" Mr.
Ferry said. 1--WE are very hopeful
that the next 48 hours will show
material improvement"
Mr.. Ferry was unable to give
accurate figures on coal saved thus
far by the brownout and other con-
servation measures. Ordinarily, the
company burns $500 tons of coal a
day. If the brownout reaches 80
per cent effectiveness, this would
mean a saving of $50 tons day OF
20 500 tons month. Combined with
the 2,400 saved by cutting off the
VEPCO supply, the saving would be
about $4,000 tons a month, he said
District officials had no intention
Of eliminating some street lights OF
traffic signal lights during dull pc.
riods to conserve electricity. Johr
Milton, chief engineer, Department
of Vehicles and Traffic, said that al
many traffic lights were cut off dur.
ing nonpeak hours as safety woulc
permit and that further reduction
would mean little in the way of 8
saving on current.
On Voluntary Basis.
Mr.. Downs said the 24-houl
service order for unessential in.
dustry in Virginia would operate or
a voluntary basis, with business
places expected to comply. In cast
of infractions, the power companie.
involved in the order are empowered
to cut of electricity, the commission
chairman said.
The order was set up from a 1926
statute authorizing the commission
to establish preferences for utility
services when normal production il
curtailed by strikes, accidents or Goa
shortages.
Vepco officials were to meet with
the corporation commission in Rich.
mond today to clarity ambiguous
phases of the order.
Operation Of Elevators Likely.
AS to one such problem-whethel
elevators would be halted in Office
buildings-Mr. Downs said he be.
lieved the commission would con.
slider elevators essential transporta-
ton and allow them to operate.
There were indications that some
managers of amusement places and
other tabliShments would petition
the commission for exemptions tc
1.-THE 24-hour rule, which was harsher