The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1954-01-01

allowing admission of evidence on
the 48 per cent of the plant used by
ACM, thus precluding a determine
ton of whether the utility was max
ing or losing money on gas sales to
ACM; that is, determining whether
the other $4,000 gas consumers were
in effect subsidizing ACM because
of that company receiving extremely
low rates of about one-third those
charged other users.
At about the same time we were
reporting on Mountain States Tel. &
Tel. receiving similar favorable treat
ment by the commission on it's APP
plication for fourth substantial rate
increase in five years. MST&T was
granted permission to increase rates
from 20 per cent on up. The reason
ableness of this rate increase is also
being contested by Attorney General
Olsen through the courts.
Following shortly, Montana-Da-
kota Utilities, third largest utility
in the state, having witnessed the
success achieved by Montana Power
and MST&T, also came before the
commission Tor large rate increases
in providing natural gas in the Bill
lings, Laurel, Red Lodge area. Rate
increases of 20 per cent on up were
approved by the commission for
MDU.
THE VOICE shows, as final
1858 fling the PSC granted the re-
quest of one major municipal utility,
City of Billings Water Department,
a rate increase of 80 per cent.
PUBLIC POWER FIGHT
AS the new year dawns, grass roots
pressure from all parts of the nation
has begun to be felt in Washington
and it appears the Eisenhower Ad-
is slowing down little
in its all out effort to relieve the
federal government (and the people,
of it's multi-billion-dollar public pow
err investment in favor of the private
power trust. The fight to save Hells
Canyon for all the people goes on,
and despite the Department of Inter-
ior's determination to turn develop
ment of the Snake river canyon over
to Idaho Power Co., of Maine, the |
may yet be forced to re-
verse itself. Interior has already had |
20 back up a ways on its move of last |
September to make meaningless the
preference clause" whereby REAs !
md other publicly-owned power utili-
les get first call on publicly
power.
The very real danger that Montana
Power may yet stifle construction of
he one million kilowatt Paradise
Dam in Sanders county continues.
The Federal Power Commission has
lot yet acted on MPCo.'s application
o build the $4,000 XIV Buffalo Rap
DIS Dam up stream from Paradise on
he Flathead river. Should FPC give
he private utility the go-ahead, then
'aradise would be unable to store suf-
icient water to make the project
easible. Thus, more than 100000 XIV
f firm power would be lost to Mon
ana and the Pacific Northwest
The recent move by Montana Power
nd five other northwest private utili-
Y companies VOICE, December 49,
o set up generating corporation" I
0 develop the power phase Of Column I
la river development while the peo- s
lie foot the bill for all other develop
lent, is something that must be care
ully watched. This proposal to eff {
ectuate "federal-local partnership" !
n resource development, if permit I
ed to become reality, paves the way
Or eastern financial interests con-
'olling the private power companies !,
} call the turn on what, if any new
ldustry will be permitted in the