Document XRL9pYY6o83Y6V3M37nOD0GbK

11s, N. Y., Waterford, N. and Rome, Ga TELEGRAM Tom L i t v r i l e r , P i t t s f i e l d , 9/24, AS A RESULT OF A NEW YORK TIMES ARTICLE TODAY, THE BERKSHIRE EAGLE IN PITTSFIELD DID A FOLLOWUP STORY. WE RELEASED THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT "PITTSFIELD GENERAL ELECTRIC USES LIQUIDS CONTAINING PCBs AS A NONFLAMMABLE INSULATION IN SOME TRANSFORMERS. DEPENDING UPON THE APPLICATION, THIS LIQUID CONTAINS VARYING AMOUNTS OF POLYCHLORINATED BIPHYENYLS (P C B s). SIMILAR COMBINATIONS CONTAINING PCBs ARE USED BY OTHER MANUFACTURERS OF ELECTRICAL APPARATUS. "THE REASON FOR ITS USE IS SAFETY. ITS NONFLAMMABILITY ALLOWS TRANSFORMERS TO BE INSTALLED INSIDE BU ILDINGS, FACTORIES, M INES, SUBWAYS, SC H O O LS, AND ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVES. NEITHER REGULAR O IL-FILLED OR AIR-COOLED TRANSFORMERS COULD BE USED IN THESE APPLICATIONS. STILL ANOTHER ADVANTAGE IS THAT TRANSFORMERS INSULATED THIS WAY CAN BE SMALLER IN SIZE THAN OIL-FILLED OR AIR-COOLED UNITS. "THESE TRANSFORMERS ARE HERMETICALLY SEALED. T H U S, DURING THEIR NORMAL LIFE THE LIQUID INSULATORS CONTAINING PCBs ARE NOT IN CONTACT WITH THE ENVIRONMENT. more 774185 J GE NP 005534 -2 "AS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO LIGHT OVER THE PAST YEAR RELATIVE TO THE POSSIBLE ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS CREATED BY P C B s, WE HAVE MOVED REQUIRED ACTIONS FORWARD IN OUR TOTAL POLLUTION-CONTROL PROGRAM. "ALTERNATIVES ? IN SPITE OF THE FACT THAT MANY COMPANIES, IN CLU D IN G G E , HAVE INVESTED RESEARCH MONEY TO SEEK A SUBSTITUTE INSULATING LIQ U ID , NONE HAVING SIMILAR . PROPERTIES HAS YET BEEN DISCO V ERED." YOU, TOO, MAY BE RECEIVING INQUIRES FROM YOUR LOCAL PRESS. THE NEED FOR CONSISTENCY IS OF OBVIOUS IMPORTANCE. RICHARD L . REINHART, MANAGER ` RELATIONS & UTILITIES OPERATION PITTSFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 774186 GENP 005535