102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY, REGULAR SESSION, 1957-1958

H. B. No. 894

Messrs. Dennis-Miller

A BILL To enact section 4905.051 of the Revised Code, relative to designation of the public utilities commission as agent for the procurement of electric energy

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Ohio:

SECTION 1. That section 4905.051 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:

SEC. 4905.051. The public utilities commision is hereby designated as the agent of the State of Ohio with full powers to act for and represent the State in any negotiations, arrangements, proceedings or contracts for the procurement of electric energy from any source outside of the State of Ohio and shall, with the approval of the governor, contract for the purchase of such electric energy when available and the resale, on a nonprofit basis, of such electric energy to electric light companies, whether State, municipally, cooperatively or privately owned, for distribution within the State of Ohio with preference for purchase of such electricity on resale being given to purchasers on the basis of need. The public utilities commission, with the approval of the governor, is authorized and empowered to enter into contracts for the transmission of such electric energy from the place of purchase to a point or points within the State of Ohio. The public utilities commission shall not complete a contract for the procurement of electric energy from any source before it has entered into a contract or contracts for the resale of such electric energy to one or more purchasers. Reasonable assessments not exceeding the actual expenses of the public utilities commission incurred in carrying out the purposes and objectives of this section may be made in proportion to electric energy resold against the purchasers to whom such electric energy is resold.

CITY OF BUFFALO,
OFFICE OF THE MAYOR,

Re S. 512 and S. 1037, Niagara River power development
Hon. ROBERT S. KERR,

May 15, 1957.

Chairman, Subcommittee on Flood Control, Rivers and Harbors Committee on Public Works, United States Senate, Washington, D. C. DEAR SENATOR KERR: The prompt development of electric power from the Niagara River is of great importance to the city of Buffalo because Buffalo industries employing approximately 45,000 now operate primarily on 25-cycle power which must be replaced by Niagara power.

The industries to which I refer are the flour milling, steel, and chemical industries. These industries in Buffalo are in the same situation as the industries at Niagara Falls. In each case they were built up and are now operating on power supplied by the Schoellkopf station which was the heart of an industrial power system of 650,000 kilowatts. With a collapse of the Schoellkopf station, this entire system (all of it) is coming to an end and must be replaced by power from the redevelopment of the Niagara.

I understand that industries at Niagara Falls which rely upon this system use 575,000 kilowatts and employ 38,000. The Buffalo industries use 325,000 kilowatts and employ approximately 45,000. This makes a total of over 80,000 employees in the industries in Buffalo and Niagara Falls which must have power from the Niagara if they are to continue to operate as in the past. Anything which would jeopardize the continuation of these industries and their development in Buffalo must be avoided. It seems to me that there is nothing in the Niagara picture which is more important than this consideration.

It is particularly important that uncertainties as to the future availability of reasonably priced power be resolved and I respectfully urge that the legislation reported by your committee provide for an allocation of power to the Buffalo industries sufficient to meet present requirements.

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