Page images
PDF
EPUB

Additions-Continued

Capitol powerplant-Continued

Personal services-Continued
One additional position, mechanic welder-Con.
an important tool of plant management.
Emergency and permanent repairs to steam
generators, refrigeration machinery, coal-
handling equipment, ventilating, and air-con-
ditioning fans, and other mechanical equip-
ment could be executed expeditiously and
economically with the aid of a qualified
welder-mechanic. The constantly increasing
requirements for modifications and addi-
tions to the extensive mechanical instal-
lations in the legislative group of buildings
are imposing a heavy burden on the regular
operating and maintenance personnel. Such
modifications and additions frequently in-
volve types of new construction and fabri-
cation in which welding process could be
used to advantage and would greatly increase
the capability of the maintenance forces.
The assistance of a qualified welder-mechanic
would enable routine preventive mainte-
nance operations and forestall in some cases
the need for costly major repairs or com-
plete replacements in later years.
Purchase of electrical energy, increased from $900,000
to $975,000.

The amount allowed for purchase of electrical
energy for 1960 was $900,000, and is based on pur-
chasing from the local public utility approximately
75,000,000 kilowatt-hours of electrical energy at an
average cost of 1.2 cents per kilowatt-hour. The
amount requested for 1961 for this purpose is
$975,000, based on purchasing from the local pub-
lic utility approximately 80,000,000 kilowatt-hours
of electrical energy at an average cost of 1.2 cents per
kilowatt-hour. The extension of the Capitol and
the full load of the new Senate subway are expected
to be added to the Capitol Power Plant electrical
energy cost next year. This, together with a con-
tinued increase in the use of electrical energy in
the buildings and grounds under the Architect of the
Capitol, results in the need for an additional $75,-
000 for the fiscal year 1961.

Payment to employees' health benefits fund__

This is a new item and is requested to cover the cost of Government contribution to employees' health benefits fund required by Public Law 86-382, 86th Cong., Federal Employees' Health Benefits Act of 1959, approved Sept. 28, 1959, and is to become effective July 1, 1960.

Fuel, increased from $386,900 to $421,900_

For 1960, $386,900 was allowed for the purchase of 39,000 tons of coal at $9.92 per ton. For 1961, $421,900 is requested for the purchase of 39,000 tons of coal at $9.92 per ton and for the purchase of 500,000 gallons of fuel oil at approximately 71⁄2 cents per gallon, the increase of $35,000 being required to cover the cost of the oil. Under a program of expansion of facilities of the plant, authorized by act of Sept. 2, 1958, it is proposed during the fiscal year 1961 to install 4 new oil-fired boilers to supplement the plant's present coal-burning equipment, necessitating the expenditure of $35,000

$75,000

5,000

35,000

Capitol powerplant-Continued

Additions Continued
Fuel, increased from $386,900 to $421,900—Continued
for the purchase of 500,000 gallons of oil to fill the
2 large oil storage tanks being installed to supply
these new boilers when placed in service.
Contribution to retirement fund, increase from $29,000
to $30,800___

This additional cost results from increases in
basic wage rates and is required by Public Law
854, 84th Cong.

Total estimate for 1961__.

$1,800

+$163, 700

2,063, 700

Mr. NORRELL. For operation of the Capitol Power Plant you are asking for $2,063,700, an increase of $162,100. Please take each item of increase and give us an explanation of it.

INCREASES REQUESTED

Mr. STEWART. The first item under personal services is for mandatory wage-rate increases amounting to $33,344. Within-grade promotions under the Classification Act will require $190. The overtime and holiday pay increase is $8,000.

Then I am asking for $5,366 for one additional position of mechanicwelder. This position is required for repair and maintenance work throughout the steam and refrigeration plant and the distribution systems. The need for the new position is due to increased repairs and maintenance now required as the machinery and lines have become older. In construction of the present steam and refrigeration plant, welding was used to a great extent. It is therefore considered imperative that the new mechanic be a qualified welder who can also serve as a general mechanic. In every industry that uses metals, welding has become an important tool of plant management. Emergency and permanent repairs to steam generators, refrigeration machinery, coal-handling equipment, ventilating and air-conditioning fans, and other mechanical equipment could be executed expeditiously and economically with the aid of a qualified welder-mechanic. The constantly increasing requirements for modifications and additions to the extensive mechanical installations in the legislative group of buildings are imposing a heavy burden on the regular operating and maintenance personnel. Such modifications and additions frequently involve types of new construction and fabrication in which welding process could be used to advantage and would greatly increase the capability of the maintenance forces. The assistance of a qualified welder-mechanic would enable routine preventive maintenance operations and forestall in some cases the need for costly major repairs or complete replacements in later years.

PURCHASE OF ELECTRICAL ENERGY

The next item is for the purchase of electrical energy. There is an increase of $75,000.

Mr. NORRELL. You are asking for $75,000 more for electricity?
Mr. STEWART. Yes, sir.

Mr. NORRELL. In fiscal year 1959 you only used $725,400 for this purpose. Going to $975,000 in fiscal year 1961 seems to be a substantial rise in a short period of time. What do you say about that? Mr. STEWART. Mr. Chairman, if I may I would like to call on Mr. Rubel to comment on that, but you have done two things in the last year or two. One is to increase the use of electrical energy by the addition of new equipment; and the other is that we have changed certain equipment, which requires more electrical energy to operate— for example, changing from incandescent to fluorescent lighting.

Now, I would like to ask Walter Rubel to add to what I have said. Mr. RUBEL. In the past year and a half, two factors have caused the major part of this increase. First of all, there was a 7 percent increase authorized by the Public Utilities Commission in the purchase price of electricity purchased from the Potomac Electric Power Co. Then in addition we took on the additional Senate Office Building just about 15 months ago. It was fully occupied about the 1st of January 1959. That added a considerable load not only for the building itself but an increase in load on the Power Plant refrigeration equipment which cools the building.

Then in changing the lighting from the inadequate incandescent to fluorescent lighting, that adds to the load. These changes are going on gradually and will continue as the buildings are provided with adequate lighting.

Mr. Bow. May I ask a question there, Mr. Chairman?

Mr. NORRELL. Mr. Bow.

Mr. Bow. What have we obligated for electricity up to April 1 of this year?

Mr. ROOF. We cannot give you an accurate up-to-date statement on that because we receive these electric bills so late.

Mr. Bow. When can you give me an accurate statement? If you do not have it up to April 1, do you have it up to March 1?

Mr. Roor. Up through March 31 we have obligated $608,000 out of $900,000.

Mr. Bow. That leaves you about $300,000 for 3 months. You are estimating here on a basis of about $75,000 a month, and you are not running that.

Mr. ROOF. Mr. Bow, heavier consumption during April, May, and June is anticipated due to the air conditioning that just went on. We operate our air-conditioning compressors and all refrigeration machinery by electricity.

Mr. Bow. What was your electric bill last April, May, and June? Mr. Roof. I do not think we have those figures with us.

Mr. RUBEL. I can get those figures for you.

Mr. Bow. Will you get those for us, for April, May, and June of last year. There has been no increase in rates since then?

Mr. RUBEL. The 7 percent increase went into effect April 22, 1959. Mr. Bow. So they would be about comparable with what you might have in the next 3 months?

Mr. RUBEL. Yes, sir.

[blocks in formation]

NOTE. Estimated increase of April-June 1960 consumption over similar period in 1959 due to: 1959 was unusually cool in these months-1960 figured on average weather conditions over period of years; additional use of refrigeration in some areas of the Senate Office Buildings; 7 percent increase in cost effective Apr. 22, 1959.

Mr. Bow. That is all, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.

Mr. STEWART. The next item is $5,000 for payment to the employee health benefits fund.

PURCHASE OF FUEL

The next item is an increase of $35,000 for fuel. For 1960, $386,900 was allowed for the purchase of 39,000 tons of coal at $9.92 per ton. For 1961, $421,900 is requested for the purchase of 39,000 tons of coal at $9.92 per ton and for the purchase of 500,000 gallons of fuel oil at approximately 72 cents per gallon-the increase of $35,000 being required to cover the cost of the oil. Under a program of expansion of facilities of the plant, authorized by act of September 2, 1958, it is proposed during the fiscal year 1961 to install four new oil-fired boilers to supplement the plant's present coal-burning equipment, necessitating the expenditure of $35,000 for the purchase of 500,000 gallons of oil to fill the two large oil storage tanks being installed to supply these new boilers when placed in service.

Mr. NORRELL. Why could not this fuel oil item be left until next year? Is there any reason why that $35,000 should be appropriated now?

Mr. STEWART. If we are to put in operation the oil burners in the summer of 1961, I would have to procure some oil by June 1961. The summer is when we will use the oil-fired boilers most of the time. It would defeat the purpose for which we are installing the boilers, if we did not operate them during the summer season.

Mr. NORRELL. Is this not largely related to the additional office building?

Mr. STEWART. This additional operating cost results from expansion of the Capitol Power Plant. The additional House Office Building and the New Senate Office Building and the extension of the east front of the Capitol all have some impact on this expansion of the Capitol Power Plant.

Our last item of increase is $1,800 for Government contribution to retirement fund.

Mr. NORRELL. If there are no further questions we will turn now to page 69 of the committee print, to "Expansion of facilities, Capitol Power Plant."

[blocks in formation]

Mr. NORRELL. For "Expansion of facilities, Capitol Power Plant,”

you are asking for $2,500,000.

We will insert pages 152 to 155 of the justifications. (The pages follow :)

Expansion of facilities, Capitol Power Plant

Contract authorization, Public Law 85-895, 85th Cong-
Amount of contract authorization appropriated to date:
Supplemental Appropriation Act, 1959--

Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1960----

Total appropriated, to date_

$6,500,000

$750,000 2, 500, 000

-3,250,000 3,250,000 2,500,000

Balance of contract authorization yet to be appropriated__.
Appropriation requested for the fiscal year 1961_--

EXPLANATION OF LEGISLATION

The primary purpose of Public Law 85-895, 85th Congress, approved September 2, 1958, is to effect the necessary changes at the Capitol Power Plant and in the plant's distribution systems to provide heat and refrigeration for the additional House Office Building, now under construction.

Under the terms of the legislation, all work is to be done by the Architect of the Capitol under the direction of the House Office Building Commission, at a cost not to exceed $6,500,000. The Architect, under the direction of the Commission, is authorized to obligate the total amount of $6,500,000 prior to the appropriation of the full amount thereof.

The legislation authorizes the installation of four additional boilers, with a total steam capacity of 200,000 pounds per hour; four additional refrigeration compressors, with a total refrigeration capacity of 6,600 tons; also, a fuel storage and distribution system, feedwater pumps, condensate pumps, condenser pumps, skip hoist equipment for coal handling, fuel transfer pumps, car pullers, deaerating feedwater heater, and new coal conveyors. The legislation also authorizes major changes and additions to the steam and chilled-water distribution systems.

« PreviousContinue »