Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-12-31
SAYS BREAKDOWN
NAS UNAVOIDABLE.
President Ham Declares
Strain Did Not Cause EIec-
tricity Stoppage Yesterday.

measures Tor the prevention OF further
breakdowns In the electric power of
this city, William F. Ham. president
of the Potomac Electric Power Com
pany. attended special meeting of
the board Of governors Of the Mer-
chants and Manufacturers Association
today.
81 realize said Mr.. Ham, "the un-
in our service on the city. 1 realise
it. as well as any merchant. The
breakdown yesterday was in the Ben
ming plant. We deplore this kind of
interruption in the service"
In explanation of the long period
without power yesterday, Mr.. Ham
said that repairs were necessary to
large part of the apparatus. He
pointed out the human element in
times job that should take only
twenty minutes to complete would
take twice as long.
President Phillip King of the ASSOC
citation questioned Mr.. Ham as to
what plans the Potomac Electric
Power Co. had made to prevent fu-
tuTe shutdownS.
Machinery Fafled to Function.
In answer, Mr.. Ham said that the
Washington plant was one of the
most efficient in the country and that
accidents such as occurred yesterday
were liable to happen to the best
regulated machinery. He said that
there was no question of overload at
the time of the breakdown, and that
II was simply a case of machinery
failing to function.
Our heaviest load" said Mr.. Ham,
lis only about $1,000 kilowats and
our capacity is $1,000. SO that we
have a margin of safety of $500 kiio-
watts. which is sufficient for any
emergency. 1t is far more than
great many other cities carry. How
ever, the breakdown yesterday was
on the machinery"
Mr.. Ham was questioned as to the
advisability of installing a duplicate
set of switchboards and apparatus, so
that If a breakdown occurred the new
set could be switched in.
Mr.. Ham said that in any small
breakdown the Benning plant had
sufficient reserve to take care OF 1t.
bat that in a case such as yesterday
there was nothing to do but to shut
all the power off and repair the ap-
paratus.
Capital Not Lacking.
1T is not lack of funds for build
Ing and improvement of the plant
that is causing these breakdowns."
said Mr. Ham. "as up to the present
time we have been able to get sufh-
cient capital to expand with the
growth Of the city:
10000 kilowatts to the Benning plant
at a cost of s2.0o0.000. 1t can be
seen from this that almost half OF
our total power is the most modern
obtainable and that every effort is
inGton maximum service"
Ten million dollars will be needed
ins the next ten years-to take care
ofsthe growth Of the city in electric
ths next year and one-half new
pl4nt will have to be built.
Called strange Accident.
The mishap to the Benning plant
was characterized today by General
superintendent L. e. Sinclair of the
Potomac Electric Power Company as
the straHgest ACCIDENT the company
ha3 ever experienced, and one which
fo1 few minuteS completely bafied
tht power station workers. For.
tutately, Mr.. Sinclair, whose office is
IN the city. WIS on his way to the
pi1nt when thez accident happened,
amp arrived in time to assist in lOcat-
According 70 NJ ~ sinclair. the sta
ton was running in smooth order
when. without warning. the oil switch
On the $4,000 kilowatt turbine opened.
dropping- the entire load of the tur-
bihe on 70 two other MACHINES. which
Immediately put them out of business
The station force, unable to find a
short circuit or evidence of an ac-
cident. was mystified as to the cause
ce the trouble until discovery was
made of the open oil switch. 1t took
but few minutes to adjust this
trouble and the plant was running
again within half an hour from the
titne that it abruptly stopped. How
ever. the low tension system down
town was not restored until after
delay of exactly one hour and three
minutes.