Electricity Charges in Feilding

Manawatu Times, Volume 68, Issue 206, 31 August 1943, Page 6

Electricity Charges in Feilding

CONTROLLER REPLIES TO MR. P. G. GUY In connection with the recent publicity accorded in these columns to proposals respecting higher charges for electricity in Feilding, Mr. P. G. Guy, Feilding’s representative on the Mana-watu-Oroua Power Board, has received the following reply from the Electricity Controller (Mr. Kissel) to his letter protesting against the Power Board’s intentions. “I am in receipt of your letter of August 14, commenting upon the proposed alteration in the basis of supply of power for water-heating installations which has been proposed by the Mana-watu-Oroua Power Board in terms of the Electric Water-Heating Order, 1943. You are doubtless familiar with the intention of the above order, namely that the past wasteful use of electricity for

water-heating, both in‘domestic homes and in dairy sheds, should be corrected by changing consumers now on the flat rate basis to a ’'metered basis with thermostats, and that all new installations shoukl bo fitted with thermostats and power charged for at a unit rate. The principle laid down by the Price Tribunal to all supply authorities is that, in fixing the new unit rates, the cost to consumers should not be increased, provided consumers effect a 20 per cent, reduction in electricity used for water heating. That is, so long as consumers do effect a reasonable saving and one which is within reach, the cost to the consumer for the water-heating service should not increase; if reasonable economies are not effected costs will increase and so may—and probably will—lead to the desired economies being made. ‘‘ln the Board’s application, the unit rate is fixed at .375 d per unit net, and at this rate the domestic consumer’s cost will not increase provided the required 20 per cent, saving in power has been made by the consumer himself. The Board’s nominal hours of supply will, under the new unit rate, continue to be 21 hours each day, and any question of the Board reducing the nominal hours of supply as well as metering at a unit rate has not been submitted to me. “So far the application made to the Price Tribunal deals solely' with domestic installations, and an application for a unit rate for dairy shed water-heater* has yet to be received. 1 can assure you, however, that the requirements of the Water-Heating Order

apply to all classes of consumers including farmers.* * In handing the Electricity Controller’s letter to a Times* representative yesterday, Mr. Guy said that while ho would be dealing with the position further, he resented the statement that there had been wasteful use of electricity for domestic water-heating. The Power Board offered to supply electricity for domestic water-heating on a 24hour basis for a fixed flat rate charge. This was the "riginal undertaking of the Board. Many consumers accepted this service, but it had been curtailed without any rebate to consumers and now the Electricity Controller described the use of electricity for water-heating purposes as being wasteful, and under the Electric Water Heating Order, 1943, proposed to still further curtail the service and charge a higher rate. Mr. Guy referred to the paragraph in Mr. Kissel’s letter relating to the 20 per cent, reduction as being contradictory and at variance with the Power Board’s engineer’s proposals which were adopted. Quoting from that report by Mr. W. A. Waters, Mr. Guy said: “On a 21-hour service, this (existing charge) works out at .366 d per unit. Assuming we decide to further restrict the hours of use to get a 20 per cent, reduction in consumption; then the hours of use become 16.8 hours per day, and the average cost per unit becomes on this existing tariff i .383 d per unit. The hours of use (16.8) with a 600 watt element will use in an I average month of 30.4 days, a total c 306.4 units. It is proposed to make thi figure 300 units and to make the cos .375 d per unit instead of .383 d as i present tariff.” Mr. Guy claimed tha it was clear from the foregoing extrac from Mr. Water’s report that the hour were to be reduced and the cost raisec without any consideration being show to those consumers who originally ac cepted the Board’s terms.

At the Feilding Borough Council Chambers yesterday afternoon, Sgt.Pilot K. O'Neill received the Patriotic Society’s presentation.