Abstract
METHODS are being discussed by electrical engineers to meet the rising costs of generating electricity. Even before the War this was becoming a serious problem. In some cases it had rendered the raising of tariffs inevitable. It apparently was the only alternative to bankruptcy, and the War has certainly not improved the situation. The Electricity Commissioners not long ago published a list of these changes. According to the Electrical Times of July 11, Sir Percival Bower, chairman of the Birmingham Electricity Department, made a speech on July 2 in which he stated that his committee is anxious to avoid any increase in tariffs, notwithstanding the formidable increase in costs all round. A fairly large surplus on the last year's accounts is being carried forward to cover any emergency expenditure. Another way of coping with the rise in costs is proposed by Mr. F. H. Whysall of Belfast. If, he says, the department is to pay its way and have a reasonable balance for renewals and reserve accounts, it is impossible to maintain the present low level of charges to the consumer. He intends to recover these increased costs by an equitable method, taking into account the rise in prices of coal, stores and wages. The large consumer is easily assessed, he already has a coal clause in his agreement and he will now feel the effect of other rises in commodities or wages on a similar sliding scale. The principle cannot be applied so precisely to the ordinary consumer, but it happens that an approximation is fairly represented by charging him a round figure of 10 per cent extra for the present, prior to the inclusion of a similar kind of coal clause in his bill. As for the slot-meter house-holder, he will lose his five per cent cash discount.
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Rising Cost of Generating Electricity. Nature 146, 92 (1940). https://doi.org/10.1038/146092a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/146092a0