ELECTRICITY IN LONDON.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14977, 26 May 1914, Page 8

ELECTRICITY IN LONDON.

PUBLIC APATHY AND NEGLECT

L.C.C. REPORT,

(FB.OM OB* OWN COURKBPONnENT.) LONDON, April 17,

That the people of .uondon do not use ■■ electricity .■ to anything like the extent that they might do, and for what they do use they pay more than they ought to pay, are admitted facts in the daily life of the Metropolis. A committee of tho London County Council has just obtained uio expert advice of Messrs Morz and McLellan on tho subject, and the report of these eminent consulting engineers shows that it is possiblo to bring, not only electric lighting, but electric heating, power, and cooking within tho reach of the majority of .London, as well as greatly to extend its use for industrial purposes. ■ The report points out that in the dieater London area there Jin© alb present no fewer than 70 companies and generation stations, and 40 systems of generation. The desirableness of the unification of control is insisted on, and the ■ engineers, after setting out the advantages and disadvantages of private and municipal ownership, put forward a scheme for municipal control, combined with private operation. If this method were adopted the County Council would own and control the system, and supply the bulk of the capital necessary to construct tho new works, while the operating body—the. amalgamated .companies— would guarantee tho interest: on the capital and work the undertaking on behalf of the controlling authority. This would bring London into line with *Paris, Berlin, and Chicago, and other United States cities. CONCENTRATION WANTED.

The conclusions arrived at in the report are:— .

1. Assuming that all« the existing generating stations were in the hands of one authority, it would pay that authority to shut them down, sell most of, the plant, and generate all the energy they produce down the river.

2. The saving in working costs would be not less .than 18 per cent, after allowing for all capital charges on the new plant and mains.

From this it will be seen that the report shows that it is essential to economy to concentrate the means of production. No immediate or wholesale sweeping away of the existing undertakings h proposed, because it is not considered necessary technically, or likely to.be adopted in practice. What is suggested is the laying down by the County Council, or some other central authority, to be appointed by Parliament, of a new undertaking with large generating stations down the Thames. From this electricity would be supplied in "bulk,* , i.e., wholesale, to any of the 70 existing generating etations, and it is shown that an economy of at least 20 per cent, would thereby be effected immediately, and a very mnch greater economy when tho etations came to be extended.

That concentration is necessary nas lone been realised by ail parties. Jp 1905-15 a bold attempt was made by private companies to bring it about, but the sehemn was dented by the County Council. In 1906-7 the London County Council brought forward schemes which were in their turn defeated by the companies. In 1908 the existing: companies brought forward schemes which were also unsuccessful. The pi-p-cnt nroposal is likply to raise keen discussion, as did the former ores, and unless a certain measure of agreement ran bo come to among the various interests it will probably share the same fate.