I am replying to Mr. Wallace`s article of Jan. 24, in which he states that Commonwealth Edison rates are No. 50 on a list of the 60 highest electric utilities. He uses a study prepared by the Jacksonville Electric Authority, of Jacksonville, Fla., of October, 1986. In this study Com Ed is listed as charging $64.42 per 1,000 kilowatt-hours.
I am one of those grumblers Mr. Wallace referred to in his article. I don`t believe everything I read. So, I took out my Com Ed bills from the period of Jan. 1, `86–Jan. 1, `87, and computed the total amount of money spent (excluding taxes) for that period, divided that amount by the number of kilowatt-hours used. I then multiplied the result by 1,000 kilowatt-hours. My end figure was $105.81 per 1,000 kilowatt-hours, quite more than the study`s figure. My calculations place Com Ed fourth in the Jacksonville authority study, not 50th.
Gov. Thompson, Atty. Gen. Hartigan, State`s Atty. Daley and some members of the Illinois Commerce Commission should be taken to task for their pro-Edison stance. There was no need for three nuclear generating plants to be built at one time.
The Public Service Company of Indiana began building two nuclear generating plants. One was more than 50 percent completed and the other was approximately 33 percent completed, when the PSCI ran out of money. It requested an increase in rates, which was turned down by the Indiana Commerce Commission. PSCI had to abandon construction of these units, and immediately discontinued dividend payments to its stockholders.
Com Ed should take notice of this action.
