UE CHIEF CHIRNSIDE READY FOR RETIREMENT

More than 35 years ago Virgil Chirnside faced a big decision -- whether to remain with the Missouri Public Service Commission or transfer his attention to the private sector of utilities.

He chose the latter.

"I was with the PSC three years," said Chirnside. "I opted to go with Missouri Utilities."

That was in February 1959, and Chirnside has never looked back.

"I've never been sorry," said Chirnside, manager of Union Electric's Southeast Missouri district. "The private sector has been good to me."

Chirnside will retire this month.

When he leaves his job May 31, he says he'll "be looking forward to golfing, fishing and traveling."

"My wife, Joyce, shares my interest in these activities and is also looking forward to my retirement," he said.

Douglas D. Groesbeck of the Lake of the Ozarks area will succeed Chirnside effective June 1.

Groesbeck comes to Cape Girardeau from UE's Lakeside District, where he serves as manager. Groesbeck has served in a number of positions during his 17 years with Union Electric.

Chirnside has also served in a number of positions since leaving the PSC.

He joined Missouri Utilities as a staff accountant. Following promotions to supervisor of accounting, assistant treasurer and treasurer, Chirnside was named manager in 1982, prior to Missouri Utilities' merger with Union Electric. Following the merger, he became manager of UE's Southeast Missouri District.

"There have been a number of changes over the past 35 years," said Chirnside. "The biggest change in power products, of course, was the addition of the Calloway County nuclear power plant, which went on line in 1985.

"This entailed a huge capital investment," said Chirnside, "but it costs less to operate."

Another big change that is more visible to the public is the difference in work crews.

"We used to operate with five- or seven-men crews," said Chirnside. "Now we operate with two- to three-men crews. This is a result of modernization of equipment, which allows us to do more with fewer people."

Another big change is in meter reading, said Chirnside.

"The meter-reader used to carry a book in which he wrote down his readings," said Chirnside. "Now we use what is called a Road Runner."

The Road Runner, explained Chirnside, is a computer-like device that stores the reading into the computerized equipment and relays it to the St. Louis headquarters.

All of these changes -- nuclear power, smaller work crews, the Road-Runner -- have led to less-costly power.

"We have had two rate reductions over the past couple of years, even though there are more devices out there that require electricity," said Chirnside.

The company has more substations in the immediate area now, too.

"We have added substations as we grew," said Chirnside. "There has been heavy residential growth in and around Cape Girardeau."

UE, headquartered in St. Louis, has about 80,000 customers in its Southeast Missouri district. Overall, the company provides energy to more than 1.2 million customers over a 24,500-square-mile service area in Missouri and Illinois.