The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-02-18
LIGHT EQUIPMENT
SHOULD BE AMPLE,
ENGINEER BELIEVES

Two more opinions on the present
state Of the municipal light plant, and
the sale Of current to the Wayne Light
and Power company. were received by
the Palladium Wednesday. They fol-
low: =
H. s. HITZ. hydro-electric engineer
being more or less Interested In
the welfare Of the municipal light
plant. and the continuance of it's ex-
ceptionally good service, wish to
state that the question Of setting aside
depreciation percentage is one of vital
Importance, and not one to be con-
trolled by petty grievances, or bi-parti-
san construction. or even be lightly
referred to public opinion.
The success of any central station,
privately owned, or municipality, de-
ponds directly upon the. service rem
dered by 1t. The delivery of current
is one branch, but the generation of
current is the big end. Do you wish
to have enacted in this city a condi-
ton SO pitiful as that of the city Of
Logansport; there Is fair example
of the neglect to set aside and carry
out the factor of depreciation. 1t is
to be regretted that the small sum OF
per cent was not wholly applied for
maintenance last year.
Through the weeks of December,
1919. that city suffered the complete
decentralization of its light and water
plants because of the inefficiency and
neglect of officials to take care of
depreciation. In the figuring of cost
of operation of central stations, we
take the factor of 10 per cent as safe
for correct capitalization, etc. 1t is
different in the case of water power
generation, as steam generation feat
ures are lacking.
Foolish to Extend Limits.
AS to the additional loading of the
plant here at present, 1t would be
most foolish, according to my knowl-
edge of operation to hazard the pres
ent machinery with rural semi. or &c
static loads, as they would manifest
themselves at periods when peaks
would be reached, but the present is
is not a controlling feature in power
plant construction, for the future de-
velopment of the situation has the
entire power in the specifying OF size
and equipment of a station.
II you do not anticipate future de-
velopment, then it would be best to
forget these farm loads, but you do
not, as you must build the load fac
tors for your new units. If Richmond
is to be a bigger and better place to
live, future demands on the central
station will increase with the business
growth. The rural demands will have
to be taken care of by some process,
for there Is no service like central
station service for the farm. -
AS 1t now stands it is not possible
for q municipal owned plant to have
Jurisdiction of current outside of city
limits, although it can sell current at
said limits, and assume care of lines
out of this territory upon the sanction
of the public service commission only.
It is necessary for the present author
tiles to very soon add new units to
compete with the demands of the
plant, and what will be the load fac
tor of such units at the time il you
do not absorb loads when presented
II you are at present running ma
chimes to their maximum capacity,
then you are getting maximum effic-
iency. If you install new units now,
YOU have no load to correctly control
and insure maximum operating effic-
iency thus losing large percentage
OF power, for no electrical machinery
gives maximum operation efficiency,
only when loaded for it's specified
rating.
Now is the time to get additional
leads if you intend to increass the ca
pacity Immediately; II not, If would be
best to delay any overlooking or haz
- harding of operation by accepting out
side consumption. The factor of safe
ty in operation Is again affected when
you take into consideration the fact
that the present machinery is not Of
sufficient size singly to absorb any
peak load if any one of the units
should be disabled. This condition
should never be If you want to guar