READ LANCASTER FARMING FOR FULL MARKET REPORTS
An Important Message
About Energy
From PP&L Chairman,
Jack K. Busby
After years of unheeded warnings, severe
shortages of natural gas finally occurred, pre
cipitated by the prolonged winter cold. One
more signal that we have a serious long-term
energy supply problem in this country. It is now
beyond debate that when energy shortages hit,
our society is crippled. The harsh evidence of
lost employment and lost production is in
disputable.
The winter weather conditions also created a
large number of operating difficulties for gener
ating units. Even so, electric loads were general
ly met, though capacity margins were tight. The
so-called excess generating capacity of some
utilities—criticized here and there a few months
ago totally disappeared in the winter cold.
One bright spot was the good performance of
nuclear power plants, reflecting their freedom
from the limitations of conventional fuel supply
and delivery.
If it had not been for industrial plant shutdowns
because of natural gas curtailments, which re
duced electrical loads that would otherwise
have been on line, there would have been
critical shortages of electricity.
This is a reminder that the basic issue of build
ing ahead to have adequate generating capacity
and fuel to meet tomorrow’s electrical needs is
very much with us. Lead times for power plant
siting approvals and construction are lengthen
ing. PP&L's most recent look indicates that, as
things now are, we have to allow about 13 years
to bring a new coal-burning power plant on line
at a new site. The implications are scary. This
means that, apart from capacity now in service
plus capacity under construction, there is noth
ing that can be done to add more coal/nuclear
based power supply for 1984/1985. Indeed, we
are practically at 1990. Every day is increasing
the hazard of future shortages of electric power
supply. Yet action is inhibited and constricted
by a complex amalgam of uncertainties and
risks. The need for clarifying and supportive
governmental energy policies is overwhelming.
The adoption of effective new energy policies
depends on whether Americans have the will to
do what is required.
The geologic and economic realities under
score the need tor more investment for facilities,
fuel and advanced research, as well as more in
vestment for conservation. It is going to be an
expensive process, with quick payoffs being un
likely. For the time being at least, alt signs point
to continuing higher prices for energy.
This is not the answer people are looking for.
It seems they would prefer to hear that higher
prices for energy are caused by some kind of
energy fraud or fix, or by the heedless actions
of uncaring managements, notions which carry
the comforting thought that if "the scoundrels"
can be Identified and properly dealt with, con
sumer energy problems will disappear. So, all
too often this is what people are told, frequently
coupled with a few rousing denunciations of
"obscene profits." Although such talk has an
unmistakable popular appeal, it is pernicious
nonsense. It obscures reality and promotes cop
out attitudes. It discourages new investment and
frustrates the development and implementation
of the basic long-term energy decisions that are
necessary.
We want our investors and customers to know
that while we think it is misleading to give people
false hope that some way can be found to pro
tect them from the reality of higher costs of en
ergy, we recognize that it is our job in PP&L to
run a taut ship and to exert every effort to hold
down costs and to improve our performance.
We appreciate that we are living in an ever
changing world where new opportunities for
Reprinted from PP*L'» IS7S Annuel Report.
This Advertisement Is Not Charged To PP&L Customers. KKZTT
PR&L
if •
better performance regularly occur. We under
stand that it is our responsibility to seek them
out and put them to good use.
We realize that we cannot see ourselves as
others see us. Therefore, we believe in the con
cept of outside audits to monitor management
effectiveness and operating efficiency. While
no one is perfect, and no one likes to be criti
cized, our aim is to have a constructive attitude
about the outside audit process in which we
welcome suggestions and advice on where and
how we can do better.
We also want our investors and customers to
know that outside forces, over which we have
little or no control, are the main causes for the
higher costs and prices of energy. For example,
we do not have control over the fact that the ex
ploration and development of energy resources
in more remote and more difficult locations, and
at greater depths, is bound to be more costly.
We do not consider that we are responsible for
the national policies and decisions that have
caused inflation with all its consequent cost in
creases. Nor did we establish the host of new
and costly environmental standards that now
have to be met, with inevitable reflections in
higher prices for electric service. Our ability to
get things done promptly and at low cost has not
been helped by the endless stream of new gov
ernmental requirements which have proliferated
reports, hearings, investigations and all kinds of
technical studies.
The saving grace in this outside-imposed cost
situation is that it does not arise from any inten
tion to increase costs. On the contrary, the diffi
culty rather stems from an excess zeal to do
good things for people without sufficiently con
sidering the cost consequences beforehand.
This is really a problem of inadequate systems
management.
Over time, energy has become afflicted by too
many laws, regulations and programs which have
different purposes and priorities, and which are
nonconnected and unrelated even though they
exist side by side. We have now come to the
point where we are bogged down in an unac
ceptable mishmash of crosscurrents and con
flicts. Some government management house
cleaning is in order. '
It is most encouraging that President Carter
has proposed to establish a comprehensive, re
structured federal energy department headed
by Dr. James Schlesinger. We urge investors
and customers of PP&L to support action to this
end. We take this position because we are con
vinced that a central obstacle to the nation's
working its way out of the energy crunch is the
present fragmentation of energy jurisdictions
within federal departments and agencies and
within the Congressional committee structure.
The proposed federal energy department could
be a most significant first step towards establish
ing an adequate management system for en
ergy. Other counterpart housecleaning steps in
volving the Congress and federal-state relation
ships in energy could then be pursued with some
reasonable chance of success.
Without further delay we must face the fact
that our patchwork quilt of piecemeal energy
management is not working Certainly we need
natural gas, but natural gas cannot meet all our
energy needs. The same is true for our other
major fuel sources oil and coal and uranium.
All form intermeshed parts of the nation’s overall
energy supply. The unavailability of any one Is
disruptive of the whole That wasn’t always so,
but it is now. The management of energy as a
total system is the only safe escape route that
still remains open to us.
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, March 12.1977 —
Ida’s
| Notebook
I
Everyone needs a few
minutes of peace and quiet
when they can be alone to
collect their thoughts. It
might be after supper when
you’ve been left alone in the
kitchen to clean up the
dishes, or maybe you can
find time to ponder over the
ironing board.
My favorite time is after
the rush of getting two
youngsters off to an early
bus a mile from our house.
Then I like to sit down with a
magazine or even yester
day’s newspaper and sip a
cup of tea. It can also be a
time to write my diary and
plan the order of work for the
day. You see, I do feel a bit
guilty relaxing, as the “work
ethic” has been firmly
implanted in my mind. As the
oldest of seven girls raised
on a farm, at an early age, I
became both mother’s and
father’s constant helper.
Judy and I have just
NJ . youths to meet
FLEMINGTON, N.J. - The theme for the conference is
annual North Jersey Youth “New Thoughts, New
Conference will be held on Vision.’’The purpose of the
March 18, 19 and 20, at'the North Jeraey Youth Con-
Holiday Inn in South ference is for an experience
Plainfield, N.J. near t 0 P ro ™*eteen
Piscatawav youth the opportunity to
speak out in issues affecting
The conference is for teens today's living; to understand
involved with any youth these issues, so as to later
organization, such as: 4-H, make decisions for helping
Scouts, Church, etc. The themselves and others.
MAY
SPRING SALE
MARCH 16,17,18,19
10% -off of your total bill of everything in
bargain room.
OMAR R. PETERSHEIH GROCERY STORE
Gordonville, Pa.
along Belmont Road
• Speed Laces Sa«7-14
• Vibram Lug Sole Width I to EE
(Not All Sizes Available In All Widths)
AVAILABLE IN SIZES FOR
MEN & WOMEN
WAYNE'S
DRY goods W
W. Main St, Kutztown
Ph. (215) 683-7686
n i
* %
Ida Risser ▲
finished papering and
painting a bedroom. Of
course, we had to remove the
old paper first and then to
slow things down, we had to
return to the store for
another roll of paper. We are
anticipating a small family
reunion this weekend and it
takes something like that to
urge us to tackle this job.
Our daughter and husband
will be here a few days from
Indianapolis, our son and
fiancee will also come.
Another son and friend are
driving from North Carolina
and Judy is home from Penn
State and so we’ll have a full
house.
One of my neighbors told
me she would have a-shuttle
service from McDonalds if
she had all that company.
But feeding them is the least
of my worries - rather it is
trying to keep things on a
semblance of a schedule with
everyone running a different
direction.
at Choice
irtbe GCCSt
Outdoors
Parkins at Rear of Store
57