business

Atlantic Electric Marks 100th Year

PLEASANTVILLE - In his speech before the Atlantic Electric shareholders meeting recently, E. Douglas Huggard, president and chief executive officer, characterized 1985 as a year of reflection and assessment of future opportunities. "Today on our 100th birthday, we begin the celebration of our history and future," Huggard said, "Our history has been fijH ed with a lot of firsts. Firsts that we can point to with pride, such as: one of the most successful, continuing cogeneration projects in the county at Deepwater Station, the nation's first natural draft salt water cooling tower at B.L. England Generating Station at Beesleys Point, and the nation's first conversion from oil back to coal during the OPEC oil embargo in the early 70s." SOME FUTURE opportunities, he said, are provided by cogeneration, alternate energy sources and dropping oil prices. Energy sales were up 2.4 percent for the year, peak demand increased 6.3 percent. coal and nuclear generation met- more than 80 percent of customers' electrical needs, and Salem

Nuclear Unit 1 set a national record for production in a calendar year. Huggard also pointed out that although the dividend rate rose for the 33rd consecutive year, earnings per share dropped from $3.20 in 1984 to $3 per share in 1985. "The $3 per share results for 1985 reflect the fact that we've been coping with the lack of adequate rate relief,'" Huggard said. "Our last major base rate case decision Vcame in December of 1982. "JUST ABOUT a year ago, we asked for increases in rates in two phases totalling approximately $93 million," Huggard said. "The BPU's decision last month to grant only $13.6 million (or 21%) of our first phase request was extremely disappointing." The first phase requested $63 million to cover general

increases in the utility's cost of service and the second phase request represents the costs associated with the Hope Creek Nuclear Generating Station. "In the past year, we surveyed our customers, our employes and our shareholders to find ways to improve our performance," Huggard said. "And while we took a closer look at ourselves, others evaluated u§ in a Management Audit." "WE ARE VERY much encouraged by the fact that professional people on an independent basis came to the conclusion that we are a well-managed company," Huggard said. "The improvements the auditors recommended are modest and many of their suggested changes were already underway."

One change the company initiated before completion of the audit was a restructuring of the customer service section of the company. "One of our major objectives is to get closer to our customers," Huggard said, "tye've made some changes in our structure that are designed to achieve that goal and to develop a leaner, more responsive organization to meet customers' needs." "Our customer service concerns go beyond just answering a question about a bill, or dealing with connection problems," he said. "We've got to reach beyond the customers' meters and help them manage their energy requirements with least-cost solutions. The future utility customer is going to have several viable options to satisfy his energy needs."

Volunteers Honored „ COURT HOtJSE - "Volunteers Make the Difference" at Burdette Tomlin Memorial Hospital. That was the theme for a recent BTMH celebration of National Volunteer Week. Refreshments, yellow roses, a lobby display and the best wishes of patients and staff marked the occasion. In a year's time, over 300 individuals contribute approximately 50,000 hours of servtee to the ill and injured of Cape May County. When a photo call was put out recently, 19 volunteers took a moment from their duties to respond. When the picture was printed, it was found that this group alone contributed a total of 17,800 hours during the past year. Anyone interested in joining this elite corps should contact Burdette Tomlin's director of volunteers at 465-2000, extension 5320. Kwlradwadmyfood Mi with Lawn Doctoc" m "» good Soo»i"«g town r*«i doc lokJ ho« lawn Doctor wov'd "I'l nw Sp"ng Sun-m«< ond foil p>o'ou.a"oi co'» ond union , (twO-ngt And th»y row Wtt rhon txxktwook-ng do * yOxwO WNon dm' i bog Cr< and (ollod No» I m ted to' %ll And Nr i o sleep 'hd hon-mo<i I^Jlawn® doctor] •1M)I • : h 10 OFF i | / I ANNUM. PRICE J, ! CAll 465-3700 i • LAWN DOCTOR Of ■ | an RUT COUNTY !

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