The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1951-05-18

the agency of this contract, definitely listed and
consist of II REA co-ops, irrigation DISTRICTS
Citations and units, Fort Beknap Indian Agency, Vet
Grams Administration and National Guard, Fort Har
rison and the Air Base, Great Falls.
THERE ARE MANY additional and detailed pro-
visions in this 31page contract but to avoid confu
sion, have sought to describe only basis provisions
they will operate in practice. 1t is now time to
make examination to how this will be. Let
take hasty slant at the cash payment Montana
Power Co. will draw down for wheeling power to
the customers above described.
Payment is on the basis of mill per XVIII for
each so miles, fraction thereof, up to mills for
200 miles Let's do little comparing By
road Fort Peck 247 miles from Great Falls. Since
July l. 1913, under contract 12r-1416 the US. has
been delivering its power, over a government-owned
line, to Rainbow Dam in Great Falls at u mills per
XVIII. Under the contract the government stands all
the transmission losses. The power company pays for
only the net kwhs it accepts. During recent months,
at least this has been the power supply it has needed
the worst, namely power to satisfy its peak loads.
UNDER THE NEW CONTRACT the power COM
pany will get mills, plus very liberal line loss al
lowance for merely wheeling (not producing and
wheeling), said power distance 100 to $50 miles.
For wheeling all the way into Great Falls pay rate
will be mills. In the past and suppose yet Bonnie
vile Power system, has been producing and delivering
us power at an average rate OF 2.3m mills. to
be able to furnish official data compare with
this cushy transmission rate in another article. Mean
time let's have look at another angle of the situation
Under the contract the Montana Power Co. has a
definite right to wheel power for the classes of
toners described in the contract. What happens to
the balance of power that will be produced at the gov
eminent dams and plants? At practically all plants
industrial purposes furnish the main customers. No
where in the contract do provision any obi
cation by Montana Power Co., to accept such power
for wheeling.
To the extent that Uncle Sammy has his own
transmission lines, he of get addi-
tona power delivered along them if he finds suff-
cient customers and they foot the bills for connection
facilities For plants where he has transmission
lines of his own, he will have to build these for the
sake of distributing part of his power production
Even a much more liberal Congress would balk at
for this purpose. The House of the
present Congress has already passed bill providing
hat there may be publicly-owned transmission
ines paralleng privately-owned transmission lines
1t is pending before the U.S. Senate.
have briefly described the present situation to
half dozen more we'll informed thoughtful men,
md then asked: What happens to the energy that
Montana Power Co. does not have O wheel? These
lave all given the same "Uncle Sammy will
lave to sell his surplus public power to private power
the company's price,
You make your guess about this. 1t
looks to as though have o the point
when Uncle Sammy builds the dams and private
industry gets all the gravy.