Tabor City tribune. (Tabor City, N.C.) 1946-1991, 1949-05-04
Tide Water Asks
For Increase In
Domestic Rate

Tide Water Power company has
HE'D an application with the U,ili-
ties Commission of North Carol,,a
Tor an adjustment in it's electric
rates.
The requested adjustment is for
IN overall approximate seven Der
cent Increase which according TO
w. w. Bel. president Of Tide
Water, would cost the average do
nestle consumer of electricity in
Tide Water territory & little over
L penny 4 day.
Even with this penny a day in
crease, Bell said, CONSUMERS
will be paying only about half
what they paid for electricity in
1856 years ago. No net in
crease is contemplated to indus.
trial customers. however, certain
rates will De- simplified AID con-
solidattd at no increase in rcve-
nue.. Rates currently applicable
To rural cooperative associations,
municipalities purchasing electric
energy for resale. street and high
way lighting service will not he in
creased. Our electric rates will
still conti.ue 10 be among the
lowest rates on the entire Atlantic
Seaboard."
The company reported that DIES.
pile steady growth and expansion
with. an accompanying increase in
revenue during 1945, there was OK.
perienced u decrease in the net
operating income Of Tide Water
of $77.397. or 1879 per cent less
than in 1917. This decrease in net
operating income. Bell said. was
due largely to higher wages and
other decreased operating costs.
Our present rates" Bell told
the Utilities Commission. "alc
wholly inadekuate for the needs of
business in rendering good ser
vice. They are entirely Inadequate
to provide all that is needed in our
system TO keep pace with this rap
idly growing area oil North Cara
lima"
The company cited numerous in
creases in operationll costs. spc-
officially pointing out that coal is
up about 81 per cent over 194o,
poles Is per cent; transformers 81
per cent, wire SO per cent and
wages 81 per cent
Bell declared that it always has
been the company's policy to de.
crease. rather than Icrease rates
and referred to a record OF eleven
rate reductions in Is years, the
last of them becoming effective IN
1917.
1T is with utmost regret that
we are forced to make this appli-
cation" Bell declared. 1--WE have
practiced every possible economy
and discussed every possible way
of avoiding rate increase, but
there seems to be no altern alive.
The approximate pen1y-a-day
increase in rates to the domestic
consumer should not create any
great individual hardship, in our
opinion, and it appears at this time
that this penny-a-day will mean the
difference between success aiu
failure in the company'S opera
tons.
We too have large family TO
care fora family of about sou
EMPLOYEES who know all too well
that the cost of virtually every.
thing in life, except electricity
has increased. All these employees
too, regret the necessity of this up
ward revision of rates but realize
that no one can continue to stay
II business without making a far
return"
Bell also referred to the COM
pany's present expansion, con-
struction and improvement pro-
gram. a..
This program" he declared. is
based on long range thinking. II
will not c,ily mean Increased po"
er for present customers nn, many
miles of new highlines will pilng
the convenience and economy 81
electricity to thousands OF 'au'-
tional farm families
The utility president SAID ne
considers the application an emer-
gency measure and lone that re-
ouires quick action if we are 10
stay in business and continue &c
-. ao,uoFo caryica to our 49,