The following appeared in a memorandum from the planning department of an electric power company."Several recent surveys indicate that home owners are increasingly eager to conserve energy. At the same time, manufacturers are now marketing many home appli

In the given passage author has discussed about planning of a electric power company. In the recent surveys the electric company noticed that the consumer are quite conscious about electric consumption and they are tried to reduce it by using energy efficient electric appliances . Also there are certain new technologies that help consumer to meet their need. So the electric department makes a conclusion that the demand of electricity will fairly remain constant in next couple of years and there is no immediate need for new power plant. Though author's claim has some merit we need some detail to understand and support those arguments.

Primarily , the source and reliability of the surveys are unknown to us. The methodologies used in the survey will affect the result. If the survey based upon little population sample then it will misdirect the outcome. The author assumed that the survey reflected actual result which may be incorrect. So it will prove wrong the entire assumption make there after.

Secondarily , the new technologies like better home insulation and passive solar heating may be energy efficient but it does not readily imply that the consumer are going to buy it unless they are with in their budget. The same logic does hold for energy efficient home appliances, such as refrigerators and air conditioners. They may be efficient but that does not guarantee those general consumers are going to replace their old appliances with the new energy efficient appliances. Here the author assumed that all current consumers are using energy efficient appliances which may be incorrect.

Thirdly, the author did not take other serious factor such as increasing population for consideration. If the population is increasing then naturally the electric consumption will surely increase. Then if all the population using energy efficient appliances then also demand for electric will increase in future. So the prediction of electric company may seriously jeopardize.

The increasing of energy efficient appliances is surely a positive reflection of consumer awareness to save electricity . But it does not guarantee that power consumption will be declined in future. Thus it weaken the conclusion of the given passage. The other factor should be considered apart from energy efficient appliances. Then only the correct conclusion can be inferred.