New-York tribune., 1921-12-10
Survey Shows
$239,O00,O0O
Saved i'm Power
Engineers Make Final Re-
port on Requirements of
Washington New Eng
land Zone for Year 1880
To Cost $l,1O9, ,564,O 900
Many Rivers Will Furnish
Energy for System; May
Save Beauty of Niagara


port Of tho Washington New England
super-power survey has been comp letcd
by w. S. Murray and his staff Of en-
gincers, and indicates that the power
requirements of tho district in 1880
can be furnished at an annual cost Of
S239 9,0000 900 less than by system such
as that now IN use.
The total investment in generating
and transmission facilities for the
super-power zone would cost $1,109,-
564 900. according to the engineers
estimates, of which $416,346,000 at
that time would represent the value OF
existing facilities to be incorporated
in the super power system.
AS proposed, the super power trans
mission system in 1925 would not
utilize Niagara or st. Lawrence power.
but by 1880 it is planned to run a line
from Niagara to Utica. and thence di-
rectly southeast to New York City. In
the same year the line from proposed
st. Lawrence Developments would ex-
tend to Northampton, Mass, and there
connect with branches to Worcester
and Boston.
Small Hydro Electric Resources
The studies of the engineers have
demonstrated that, unlike the Pacific
Coast region, where water power
abounds and industry is relatively
small, the supcr-power zone has rela-
lively small hydro electric resources
and maximum Industrial requirements.
When the increases during the last ten
years are projected to 1880, even at a
lower rate, it is calculated that the
total energy seQuiremcnt of the zone
for that year will be 100000, 900
kilowatt hours, Of which about q per
cent can be supplied from water power
The principal rivers involved in the
survey are the Potomac, SusQuehanna,
Delaware, Hudson, Black, Racuuette,
Connecticut, st. Lawrence and Niagara.
Because of the time further develop
ment of the st. Lawrence will require
and the treaty limitations upon Mag
ara water, both streams arc omitted
from the calculations until 1880. The
possibilities of the Niagara arc held to
be the largest potential source of power
in America.
Aside from treaty considerations,
says the report, the questions of addi-
tlonal diversion of water from the
Niagara River is somewhat complicated
with the navigation of Lake Erie, as
any large increase III diversion will
tend to lower the lake level BY the
con5truction of remedial works at the
outlet of Lake Erie, however, it viii
be practicable to increase the amount
of water diverted for power without
impairing the navigability of the lake.
The scenic beauty of the falls may
be preserved by constructing works
that will distribute the flow more uni
formly over the crest. This power
i H.. t,1 :, 81
than st. Lawrence power and would be
equally available for use in the super
power zone.
The territory embraced m the So
called super-power zone is that lying
between the forty fourth and thirty
ninth parallels of latitude and extend
ing from the Atlantic coast approxi-
mately $50 miles inland, including
parts of Maine, New Hampshire, Ver-
ware and Maryland and all the states
of Massachusetts, Rhode Island Con-
necticut and New Jersey. Within this
zone is concentrated one-fOurth of the
population of the United States, and
within it are operated 315 electric
utilities, eighteen railroads and $4,000
industrial plants.
$4,000, 900 Annually Saved
study Of the $4,000 manufacturing
establishments shows that by 1880
through the maximum economical use
Of purchased electric energy, they can
save S190,000,000 annually above the
fixed charges against capital invest
ment of S1S5,000,00 to provide the
motor equipment necessary to receive
and use the power. The combined in
vestment necessary for the electric
utilities and industries in 1880 ag-
greeates 1924 ,564 ,0O0, and this will
yield above the fixed charges $429,-
900 900, or 33 per cent.
railroad, and of this 10000 miles
proiitably can be electrified to yield
a saving of S81 900 900, as compared |
with the cost OF operation by steam |
The capital expenditure necessary to
electrfy these 10000 miles would be
100000 600.
This plan of development is pro-
posed as Offering the best returns:
Construction Of steam electric plant
near Pittston, Pa. to supply energy
to the anthracite division of the zone
and the remainder to the metropolitan
district, mainly New Jersey.
Construction of steam electric plant
near Sunbury, Pa, to supply part OF
it's energy to the anthracite division,
a part to the Reading load center and
a part to Philadelphia.
Construction of hydroelectric plants |
on Delaware and Susquehanna rivers
to supplement the foregoing two
plants.
Progressive development Of Hudson
River projects to meet growth of
energy requirements at Schenectady, |
Utica, Poughkeepsie and Pittsheld,
Mass, load centers.
Construction of steam-electric plant
near Boston.
Construction of steam electric plant
near New Haven.
Partial construction of first hydro
electric plan in development of Pc
tomac as soon as power demands Of
Baltimore and Washington load CEN
ters require additional plant capacity.
The plan, it is estimated, would re.
suit in saving of 499S4000 short
tons of coal. Under the present in
dependent operation the average ca
pacty of the 55S electric utility plants
now in operation in the zone is 1900
kilowatts and that of the steam plants
10000 kiiowatts, while the hydro-elec-
trio plants average $500 kilcwatts.
The report is now before Secretary
OF Interior Fall, who will give it CON
sideration before taking any action on.l
the recommendation of the engineers.