Conserving Energy

Southern California Edison has maintained a leadership role in energy conservation for more than a decade, and our commitment is no less today. Reporter Jill Stewart’s article “Utilities Shun Energy Savings, Critics Assert” (Part I, Jan. 15) ignores several important facts about Edison’s extensive conservation programs.

Edison has the most successful electric utility conservation operation in the country, encompassing over 50 programs for customers ranging from low-income to agricultural to large industrial users. We have more than 300 employees working on conservation and over the years have helped our customers save more than 25 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity.

In 1988 alone we assisted over 75,000 residential customers to conserve their in-home energy use, more than in any past year. Our conservation accomplishments have been widely recognized, including more than 15 awards for excellence in the past two years, and both U.S. and foreign utilities come to us for advice.

In just the three years 1985-1987, Edison spent nearly $200 million on energy conservation programs that saved our customers 3.5 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity. This is the equivalent of conserving almost 6 million barrels of fuel oil per year. Our efforts have already enabled us to eliminate the need to construct two major power plants.

At Edison, we are continually investigating state-of-the-art conservation technologies, phasing out less effective programs, and initiating and updating others. In this dynamic process, a cardinal tenet is that all programs result in using electricity wisely. This does not mean using less electricity is always the best option. Electric conservation decisions must be weighed alongside considerations of air quality benefits, fossil fuel preservation and cost-effectiveness for customers.

The South Coast Air Quality Management District, for example, calls for increased use of electricity throughout the Los Angeles basin because electricity is less polluting than some alternatives. Replacing combustion engines with electric motors or installing electric industrial processes on a selective basis may increase electric consumption. But at the same time, it will improve air quality.

As always, Southern California Edison’s energy conservation efforts will be pro-active and responsive to customers’ needs.

ROBERT H. BRIDENBECKER

Vice President

Southern California Edison Co.

Rosemead