The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1914-05-16

traliZed switchboard cOntTOi lor
the great locks, is but another triumph for cleo
tricity, a new departure in electrical engineering
and an advance in mechanics eQualed only by
the Panama canal itself.
It is expected that the surplus water Of Gatun
lake will ultimately supply the electrical energy
for the entire canal zone. During the building OF
the canal a steam plant located at Mfrahores.
furnished the electrical current necessary for the
construction work at the Pacific end This steam
plant will be maintained a reserve in case OF
shut down. low water or damage to the transmits
sion line At present 1t seems certain that there
will be available sufficient water to generate fully
5000 kilowatts. During the rainy seasons. which
prevail in the tropics, water will be plentiful and
will be allowed to run to waste over the splway
of the dam. During the dry season the storage
water will be drawn upon. The maximum guam
tity of water diverted for hydroelectric develop
| ment is about seven per cent OF the minimum
| water supply and is the excess which is not re-
| quired for lockage evaporation and leakage.
The electricity generated at the Gatun power
house will be distributed for the operation of the
three big locks to the permanent machine shops,
to the dry dock to the coal handling plant and
other auxiliaries. It will also be used to light
| the locks and the villages of the canal zone. In
all probab iity the current will also be extensive
" used for electric cooking in the homes, fuel
is scarce and costly upon the isthmus. There Is
also under consideration the eectrifcation OF
will be in duplicate throughout in order to insure
| a continuous service AS further precaution,
| as above stated the weter-power station will be
connected to the steam plant at Mirafores. which
station will be held in reserve.
! The power system for the operation Of the
locks, towing locomotives lights for the locks
and buildings, and motors not directly connected
with the lock control. Is composed Of:
1900 kv-a, 2,200-volt hydroelectric power
plant at the Gatun dam.
Four thousand five hundred kva, 2,2O0-vot Cur
It's turbo-generator electric power plant at Mira
flores for emergency, lately used to supply power
for construction work
A double A 000-volt transmission line across
the isthmus connecting Cristobal on the Atlantic
and Balboa on the Pacific with the two power
plants named.
Four "A 0O02, 2O0volt substations stepping down
at Cristobal and Balboa, and up or down at Gatun
and Mirafores, depending on which OF the two
plants Is supplying power
Thirtysix 2200240 volt transmission stations
for power, traction and light at Gatun, Pedro
! Miguel and Mirafores locks.
Three ACKNOWLEDGMENT transformer stations for
the control boards at the locks.
The hydroelectric station is located adjacent to
the north wall Of Gatun spillway. The building
ia Of concrete and STEEL designed specially for q
power station in a tropical country. The building
is capable of being enlarged to house six 2,OO0
kilowatt units, Of which three have been installed
I The building has but one main operating floor
with turbine pit and two galleries for electrical
: equipment Each unit of the mechanical equip
t ment consists Of an individual headgate. pen
stock governor generator. EXETER oilsvitch. and
q control panel Water is taken from Gatun lake
, through a forebay. which Is constructed as an
integral part Of the curved portion OF the north
q spillway approach wall. From the forebay the
g water IL carried to the turbines through stee
plate penstocks $50 feet long and 10 feet inches
in diameter. The entrances to the penstocks are
protected by bar iron trash racks to prevent
=. sunken debris from damaging the turbines. The
;, headgates are raised and lowered by individual
, electric motors These motors and the gate ma
:. chinery are housed in a small concrete gate
. house erected in the forebay
The turbog generating units Of the vertica
: type rotating parts of the generator and the tur
. bine being mounted on the same shaft Super
. imposed upon each turbine casing Is a generator
rated at 900 kilowatts. which will deliver three
- phase Bicycle current at 1900 volts. The mail
control switchboard for the control Of the curren
- is located on the second gallery floor. where tn