American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1908-01-11
POWER RESOURCES
OF AMERICAN FALLS
Description Of Power Stations
and Equipment.
Plans fos q Third Power Station AT
Low Water SIS, 900 Actual Horse
Power Can Be Developed When
Plant is Completed.

The Idaho Consolidated Power Com
pany has issued a booklet giving the
following information concerning the
plant and plans Of the company:
The Idaho Consolidated Power Com
pany is consolidation Of the properties
of the Poea,eiio Electric Light a Pow
or Company, the American Falls Pow
or, Light & Water Company, Limited.
the Blaekfoot Light e. Water Company.
Limited. and the properties formerly
owned by the Idaho Consolidated Power
Company.
The company furnishes eurrrn, for
lighting and power purposes "a, Amcri-
can Falls. Pocstello. twenty-five miles
away. Roas Fork, twelve miles further
on. ard Blaekfoo,. thirteen miles still
further on. making a total transmission
line Of nifty miles.
The main power house Of the Idaho
Consolidated Power Company is si,nHi-
ed on the west bank of the Snake river
near the town Of American Falls. and
Immediately below the track Of the
Oregon Short Line railroad company.
This is a boilding - feet by ~ feet.
with an IL" 2. feet By 30 feet. ard is
bull, Of rcd sandstone. the foundation
resting on a concrete base.
The fall Of the river at this point Is
s2 feet, and the water Is diverted to-
wards the wes, shore by cement dam.
and after being diverted IL passes
through tunnel l2 feet IN diameter
ard 800 feet long which wss bull,
through solid lava rock. The water
from the tunnel to the power house is
carried through wooden pipe for y
distance Of about ninety feet
The hcadgstes at Tho intake are built
Of solii masonry and the water Is let
into the forchay and regulated by IA
series Of six gates. The gates are pro-
s.c,cd by substantial steel screen.
which keeps out all debris. The river
Il free from ice during the winter.
Near the lower end of the tunnel,
there has been provided shat, or air
chamber about so feet deep. Is feet
square at the base and tapcring To six
feet squarc nj the surface. The object
of this In to provide an expansion cham
Der for the water In case IL should be-
come necessary to shut down in any
emergency. The tunnel il constructed
with a capacity for developing 5000
horse power and divides near the lower
end. one opening leading to the power
house and the other being elosed by =
buikhcad which may be removed and
water carried to the lower end of the
tunnel for furnishing water TO addition
al wheels that can be placed when an
extension to the present power house
il made.
The water wheels were furnished by
James Leffcl 4 Company. and are =
triple set. 26 inches. Sampson horixont-
al turbines. which are capable Of dcliv-
ering 1900 horse power. These wheels
are controlled by an oil pressure. Type
3, Lombard governor, and are direct
connected to 500 XIV. generator of
the revolving field type, General Elec-
trio company make. The discharge
from the whcels is carried through steel
draft tubes and drops directly into the
Snake river Immediately below the falls
at a point having depth of water of
10. e.. III H.. e L..
power house.
The generator is 500 XIV. General
Electric three phase machine, operating
at 2sD0 volts. and running at a speed of
800 revolutions per minute. and is Of the
latest improved revolving field type
separately excited by l3 l-2 XIV. volt
multipole belt driven generator.
The switchboard il of blue Vermont
marble consisting Of two panels. one
controlling the EXETER and generator
and the other is the transformer panel.
These have the usual complement Of
volunteers, ammeters, synchronixing
device. power factor indicator, switches.
rheostats, etc., and are equipped with =
Bristol recording voltmeter. The trans
former panel has the usual oil switches
mounted on the back Of the board. A
Type IA General Electric regulator is
provided.
There are three step-up $50 XIV.
transformers Of the General Electric
company, oil and water cooled type, To-
Gated on the main floor Of the station.
These transform the curreut from
$500 volts to the high tension Of 50, 800.