Metropolis weekly gazette., 1917-06-22
CONSOLIDATION
Of SMALL-CITY
ELECTRIC PLANTS
AN IMPORTANT MOVEMENT NOW
GOING ON, ESPECIALLY ~
THE MIDDLE VEST
This Article Was Written by George
w. Weber and ls from Wepers
Weekly Of October 7. II Explains
How the Electric Plants Of the Mid.
die West Cities Are Being Combined.

In Illinois-outslde of Chicago-as
In other statee-eaeh town had. or has,
On electric plant. Each Of these was
too small to justify the employment OF
such expert service. machinery and
supplies as would bring about the best
service or financial results. The re-
quirement for electrical service came
simultaneously everywhere, ard each
place proceeded to provide for its own
requirements. Hence many small. un-
profitable plants, too often nismaD-
aged, were installed.
The aim no9 Is. and for come time
has been. 10 unite these isolated plants
into operating units.
I. The connection of the Individual
plants in group by transnis-
sion lines will, when the system Is
fully developed and properly patron
ICED. insure the cities IN She group
against accidents that might occur TO
a single isolated plant At times Of ex.
traordinary demand for light and row-
er-ss in the case of county falr--
sufficient can be supplied .aout Can
ger Of a breakdown or o. s5ao.
2. Instead of each plant requiring
ceparate administration, or being lett
TO the changing municipal govern
ments, the consolidated plants have
but one managerial service ard that
continuous and selected operations.
and are under the State Public utliI-
ties Commission.
3. BY uniting j considerable mum.
Der of small plants a large unit IS pro-
euced, which has sufficient Income and
work to make II possible 10 employ
experts and to keep In stock all nee
essary supplies and repairs.
: Z. Great economies are possible In
financing group OF connected small
plants as compared with the overhead
charges on the sams pIsnts operating
Independently Of each ether.
s. All of the plants being eonnected
by means Of transmission lines, these
lines can be, and are being, extensive
y used 10 supply energy TO farm
houses in the rural districts through
which the lines pass.
cities Should Have Surplus Power.
Consider this one fact: The single
plant. serving small city. must
have capacity equal 10 the great.
est service requirement that may
be put upon il. In other words
It's use AT certain hours may be
let US say-equal to ! GOO horsepow.
er. while its low point of service may
be as little as fifty horsepower Tn
less the plant is equipped separately
ct great expense-with generators
for each different degree Of service.
the 1000 horsepower machine will
have to run all the time, even, while
carrying its smallest service load OF
course, the fuel consumed rould be
reduced, but that would be about all.
Now. suppose that several plants be
united by transmission lire. In that
event one plant can do the entire sery-
Ice during the hours CT minimum re-
cuirement. And. ordinarily. one plant
can carry the minimum load of ten or
twenty plants. The advantages from
all Of this are obvious. Some of the
the time. which, besides reducing
wear and tear, would permit repairs
of idle machinery. Another thing. with
such a system 'wcnty-four hour
force of operatives would not be re-
quired. On top OF Gll OF this Is
the assurance that there would not be
q break in the service because of tn.
single home plant" breaking down.
This ideal Is aimed at but is pre-.
vented In tome small cities and
il should be kept IN mind that ,hs
small city isolated plant can never do
better than IL Is doing now. An cleo
tric plant should have surplus pro-
duct in excess of the towns present
needs SO tha, outside puwer-us ng
needs so that concerns will locate
In the town, for they Will locate
only where they can be sure OF
q power sspply. The electric light
plant, Elore than anything else, up
builds the town, and II should be-
economically epeaking--in advgnce OF
the tr sn-always pulling the town up
toward its own higher level, az Il
were. No city can prosper with bad
electric service. An overworked or i'm.
pr, perly worked. electric light plant
Is like an oyerwor.ed team of horses
On farm.
Grouping insures Great Savings.
Another important consideration Is
The fact that group OF stations wo.ild
have business and income sufficiently
large TO justify the employment o.
experts, ana. this would insure the
right kind in larger amount and OF
greater diversity by having one sup
ply house from which all demands ear
be furnished.
Almost without exception the elec. 1
trio plants OF small cities have been |
organized and financed by local cap
italists VINO were inspired BY cIyis
pride and determination to keep ,na,-
home town up to the times But. al.
most always. these undertakings have
been financially disappointing. Those
who are known to be successful
In operating electric urdavsaL,roa