Imperial Valley press., 1921-08-10
PROJECT Of
PEOPLE IS
EDISON CO.
PLANS
Company Manager Outlines
Huge Colorado River Pro-
ject. Contrasts Achieve
ments With Those of Los
Angeles

Outlining briefly but clearly the
plans of the Southern California Ed
ison company and it's allied interests
for the development of the gigantic
hydroelectric project on the Colorado
river R. H. Ballard, vice president
and general manager Of the company
in an address Monday night at Por-
terville before the chambers of COM
merce of the San Joaquin Valley, told
the people just what the project would
be.
"Synonymous with continuous. suffl-
cient. rapid and economical electrical
MIA Edison company is project OF
the people,, said Mr.. Ballard IN MS
address. -. -.
with s125 900 900 Of public funds
invested in this public enterprise, the
company's records show total OF
more than $4,000 individual invest
ors and this number is increasing at
the rate of about 100 day. me
total includes 5000 employees, 12,OOO
women and 10000 customers.
"rhe company's initial plant in the
San Bcrnardino Mountains, operating
at 10000 volts. three phase, set a
worlds record; the Big Greek system
with 240 miles of transmission at 100
900 volts, was another, and now the
pressure on this line is being increas-
ed to 100000 volts, resulting in its
carrying double capacity. la
Mr.. Ballard touched Briefly upon
the development program of the COM
pany in the Big Greek and Kern Riv-
er projects, drawing attention to the
completion of $4,000 horsepower this
year, which obviates the possibility
of any power shortage. .-. Il;
Contrasting this rapid development
of $4,000 horsepower in the past two
years, with a total development OF
$4,000 horsepower by the Los Ange-
les Municipal Power Bureau in eleven
years, point was made demonstrate
ing much quicker results under pri-
vate initiative and operation.
"The problem respecting the Colo
RADIO River" said Mr.. Ballard, "may
be divided into three parts-What
to do? Where to do it? Who's to dc
it?
"At approximately the State lin,
between Arizona and Utah, there is
a wonderful dam site in Glen Canyon
where, the construction of dam SOC
feet high between the 1900 foot walls
of this canvon would back the waite,
up some 200 miles over practically a
flat country, where the flow is approx
imately one foot to the mile. This res
ervoir would have capacity of 40.,
100000 acre feet of water ard woulC
be located at the top of 3000-foot
fall of the river, over a distance of
several hundred miles. BY locating
the dam and reservoir at this point al
of this fall would be available for pow
er development through the repeated
use of the flow of the river regulated
to $4,000 second feet
Eventually a chain of eight pow
er houses. developing 4.350OoO horse
mower may be constructed charging
the interest on the cost of the great
thm prooortionately to all of this pow,
ef development as contrasetd with
! N dam at the lower end Of the strear-
the cost Of which would be as great
1ut the water would be used in on.
bower-housn developing but 100000
horse power, r,,,
"A verv excellent report has hcer
prepared hy the Director of the Rec
lamation Service. pursuant to an act
of Con"ress, suggested by the I'M
perial Vallev neonle, who contributed
som" $4,000 to the exnerse of pre-
pairing the report. This is in no sens.
a government project: but rather
government investigation to deter
mine what mioht be done and in thi
Investigation the problem is attacke,
primarily from the stand point o
flood control and IRRIGATION. with pow
er development as side issue.
"Under all of these circumstances
the Southern California Edison Com