The Canadian Record (Canadian, Tex.), Vol. 91, No. 31, Ed. 1 Thursday, July 31, 1980 Page: 2 of 36
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Texas Digital Newspaper Program and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Hemphill County Library.
- Highlighting
- Highlighting On/Off
- Color:
- Adjust Image
- Rotate Left
- Rotate Right
- Brightness, Contrast, etc. (Experimental)
- Cropping Tool
- Download Sizes
- Preview all sizes/dimensions or...
- Download Thumbnail
- Download Small
- Download Medium
- Download Large
- High Resolution Files
- IIIF Image JSON
- IIIF Image URL
- Accessibility
- View Extracted Text
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
i/ ii« wumuiMN
CANADIAN. HEMPHILL CO.. TEXAS
THURSDAY 31 JULY 1980
w
Comparing f igures
A LOT OF FIGURES have been tossed about,
and more will be, concerning the cost of
electric power for consumers in the City of
Canadian under various alternative plans. It is
difficult to condense and clarify...to avoid the
confusion which always comes from multiple
numbers...and to avoid the other extreme of
over-simplifying a complicated problem.
But one of the elements which must concern
local citizens in voting on the August 9 proposition
to sell, or not to sell, the city-owned electric system
is determing which alternative will probably
produce the lowest cost for the consumer.
Expert studies have been made, and the figures
produced by them are mind-boggling at first
glance. But it is possible to boil down the figures
from these studies to a bottom line comparison of
the two feasible alternatives: sale of the system to
Southwestern Public Service (as proposed in the
election) or purchase of power from North Plains
Electric Cooperative as proposed by the opposi-
tion.
No one is seriously considering the third
alternative, which would be the expansion of the
city plant to meet present and future requirements
for power, because the cost is prohibitive, the
necessary financing would be out of reach of the
City of Canadian in its present circumstances, and
availability and cost of natural gas fuel is too
uncertain.
But a study made early this year by the city's
consulting engineer. Bill McMorries of Amarillo,
provided some cost comparisons, based on 1979
fuel costs, which give an insight to the probable
bottom line.
McMorries study considered two plans: one
based on phasing out the generating system and
purchasing wholesale power to be retailed through
a city-owned and city-operated distribution sys-
tem; and the other based on sale of the generating
plant and distribution system to Southwestern
Public Service or some other supplier.
The first plan projected the average cost of
purchased power sold by the City during the next
decade at 5.62 cents per kilowatt hour, and the
second projected the average cost per kilowatt
hour of electricity provided and sold by a
Southwestern Public Service-owned system at b. 11
cents per kilowatt hour.
If that were the bottom-line, purchasing power
wholesale from North Plains Electric Coop would
be a clear winner...but it isn't quite that simple. A
qualifying line in McMorries' report notes that the
cost in the first plan does not include the cost of a
transmission line to deliver the power.
The cost of that little item is spelled out in the
proposal from North Plains Electric Coop to sell
power to the City of Canadian. It is in the
surcharge, above the cost of power, required by
the Coop to amortize the expense of building its
69KV transmission line into Canadian...a cost
which represents an investment by the Coop of
$674.000 to be amortized over a ten-year period.
The surcharge varies, depending on the amount of
power delivered, from 5 mills to 7.5 mills per Kwh.
Add the lowest cost. 5 mills (or one-half cent) to
the proposed 1980 cost of that delivered power and
that figure becomes 6.25 cents per kwh as
compared with McMorries' projected cost of SPS
delivered power of 6.11 per Kwh.
That is one bottom line...admittedly simplified,
but all of the figures are based on the same
statistical projection. We are not comparing apples
with oranges.
'6
went
Other advantages
IT SEEMS REASONABLE to believe that SPS Canadian) because the intermediaries must each
can sell its electricity to consumers on its own recover their own costs plus profits.
system at a lower rate that can result from Cliff Mlinar of Southwestern Public Service has
delivering power through middlemen (such as no hesitation in saying that his company can
North Plains Electric Coop and the City of produce and sell power at lower cost than anyone
else because of efficiency in production and
because of the much-lower fuel cost of coal vs.
// /v § natural gas...a difference which will be greater in
c/ /16 ^ CLfl d dinn future ye.ars than u is now-
_ But as'de from advantages on price per kilowatt
TI I ,1 /l "Tfc T\ Jelectricity delivered by SPS. we see many other
ETC H I II l~C I I . many imP°rtant advantages in buying from a
II I'il J\ F|l| I Pnvate company as opposed to purchasing from a
* ^ V-X M- \.MS government entity (such as the City) or through a
USPS 067-9(0 government-subsidized entity (such as a Rural
rmiMh (HMfhl) Tex* system)-
BENEZZELL Editor . Both. aty and REA have advantages in
NANCY EZZELL Editor borrowin8 at lower rates of interest than the
TWA MOORE Advertising Manager pnvat® c°™Pany...and both have tax advantages
Entered as second dais matter December 20. 1945. schrol districts t^tte" stater ran*!'' and ^
¡¡¡^«3cjz.iKt-ríjíES i,n„bu,ing^
M. Ezze/J. . Pnvale (as opposed to government)
operation...but all of these we consider, in our own
SUBSCRIPTION RATES warped view, as definite advantages for us
One yeu ~ M OO in Hemphill ud co£um<;rs
counties. Elsewhere -- SI 0.00 per yearare P«nfiilly aware that money which the
[Continned on Page 3]
We don't want to detract from, In any way, the outpouring of
sympathy for the family of slain Deputy Corky Guthrie, or the cash
offerings which have been made to fonda established for the family.
In no way can the loaa of a man'a Ufe be compensated for by caih.
But we think the public needs to know that reports published in
area newspapers, and aired by area television media and others, of
the lack of financial support made available to Corky Guthrie's family
have not only been grossly exaggerated but, in many cases, have
been absolutely untrue.
We have been reluctant to comment on this matter, considering it
an invaaion of privacy in a time of sorrow. But the facts are that there
«re substantial beneflta which are, or will be, available to Corky
Guthrie's widow and dependent children...benefits which, in monthly
payments from Social Security and from the Workmen' Compensa-
tion policy carried by the County, will bring more in cash monthly
income than the law enforcement salary of Deputy Guthrie.
In addition, to the monthly income, Workmen's Compensation will
pay a lump sum of $20.000 to the widow, and the State of Texas,
through law enforcement funds, will contribute another $20.000 in a
lump sum. An additional cash award from federal funds pasable to
the survivors of any law officcr killed in line of duty will pay $25.000
to the widow, and will divide $25.000 among the children.
So the family of this slain officer, like the families of other police
officers who are killed In line of duty, ia not being left penniless and
on-protected by a heartleaa government. We thought you ought to
know.
•••
Ronald Reagan wants to be President of the I'nited States sen
badly...so badly that he was willing, almost, to compromise all his
cherished conservative principles to get Jerry Ford on the ballot in an
effort to insure the election.
George Bosh wan ta to be vice-president very badly...so badly that
he wss willing to give up the principles which he espoused most
ardently in hie own in the primaries against Ronald Reagan
in order to grab aecond place on the ticket.
Republican conservatives, like the Senator from North Carolina,
want to win this election very badly also...so badly that they lost no
time in sacrificing their principals in order to accept the nomination of
Republican Liberal George Bush when the chips were dossn...in spite
of the fact that this liberal vice-president will be. if elected, only a
heartbeat away from the Presidency; and with that venerable actor
Ronald Reagan in the top spot, that heartbeat could become a mights
grave (no pun intended) reality before the next four years are over.
In fact, the only persona of great prominence at the Republican
National Convention who weren't ready to sacrifice their principles at
the drop of a hint appeared to be Jerry and Betty Ford, who stuck
with theirs and finally made a Reagan-Ford ticket too high a price for
even Ronnie Reagan to pay. Ex-Preaident Ford haa been No, 1. «J
waa willing u> play fff«ni fiddle to g " only if he could call the
uivt
Compromise, of course, has been the name of the game in
American politics since the two-party system began; but política
compromise implies a give-and-take bargaining to achieve a
concensus...not s sell-out to achieve a position. We hope there svi
some candidate in the race for the Presidency who will stick svith is
principles even st the risk of losing, because a candidate with this
kind of integrity just might have a chance of winning in a fie 0
tarnished compromisers.
Even If his name Is John Anderson, and he
haan*t got a mq|or party ticket to ran on.
f O ONE CAN love his neighbor on an empty
stomach. — Woodruw Wilson.
■ gyirlifflBh'¿ii>i;i.':1Tiriii 'taaB—wbüuh—JUUWM
A.r.'
A. /
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Matching Search Results
View one place within this issue that match your search.Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
Ezzell, Ben & Ezzell, Nancy. The Canadian Record (Canadian, Tex.), Vol. 91, No. 31, Ed. 1 Thursday, July 31, 1980, newspaper, July 31, 1980; Canadian, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth184181/m1/2/?q=%22Texas+Press+Association%22: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Hemphill County Library.