Evening star., 1924-07-21
Continued from First Page.)

N1cntlnueu from faSe.)
placed on generation from fuel"
So that the Hoover superpower
project is not at all antagonistic to
existing steam plants, but only an
effort to help them to carry the load
more economically and more efficiently.
TOT closer interconnection is one for
the construction of large steam
plants strategically located.
The situation in regard to Great
Falls is such. on account of seasonal
of the water that develop
ment can best he made through inter-
connection with steam plants as pro-
posed in the superpower area scheme.
The reason is that there must be
100 per cent power for the Govern
ment workshop, the public utilities of
the National Capital and the con-
residents. That is, there must be
continuous power to meet all de-
mands every day in the year. With
Great Falls. project where the
water power is seasonal in character,
the engineers must figure on the use
Of steam plants to help carry the
load in such off seasons.
Avoid state Complications.
Through these conferences called
by Secretary Hoover it is believed
that a way will be found to cut
the tangle of conflicting state laws
that have proved a barrier to eco
nomic development of power for this
region, and thereby prevent the re-
current coal famines that have re-
suited, causing not only suffering in
the homes but threatening the shut
down of essential industries.
Secretary Hoover expects the su-
perpower scheme to be adopted. His
thought on this subject is as follows:
Federal regulation is not the road
to solution of these problems of in
terstate movement of power. / would
regard any Federal regulation such
as has been found necessary in trans
portation as disaster to the develop
ment of our power resources. The
fact is slowly emerging that the
United States will eventually divide
itself into several Spower districts,
each with its own problems-prob-
lens relating to the origin of power.
problems of climate, problems relat-
ing to the character of industries and
lses. No national regulation can sup
ply that intimate knowledge of local
problems which this industry re-
quiTes.
Il believe that power development
and distribution would find its great
regulations among groups OF States.
perhaps with voluntary assistance
from the Federal Government in Sc
curing this coordination. We need
between State utility
comm iSSiOnS where conflicting queS-
tionS arise.
The survey OF power facilities and
power needs made by the engineer
covers the State OF
Maine. New Hampshire. Vermont,
Massa achusetts. Rhode Island. Con-
necticut, New Jersey. Pennsylvania,
IF Columbia. There has been include
ID also some reference to the States
of Ohio. Virginia and West Virginia,
since under certain circumstances
power in these regions will be con-
.ributory.
This whole region comprises one
IF several power areas into which the
United States naturally divides it.
self, according to the engineers. Forty
per cent of the country's population,
so per cent of the Ma
ions electrical power production and
opera ting so per cent of the primary
power of the whole country in con-
in this particular area. The
lSe OF electrical power therein has
'een increasing at the rate of 10 per
'ent per annum, and in the commit
ee's opinion the demand will reach
'o.Soo.0 100000 kilowatt hours in 1880.
Horsepower Available.
The demand for electrical power
within this area is supplied from
water and from coal" the report
'ays. The present developd water
power is about 3,O36.000 horsepower;
he total potential water power avail
ible 90 per cent of the time is 5,426,-
700 horsepower. This is increased to
$4,000 horsepower availa BILE. so per
'ent of the time.
At present we have developed
lbout 38'per cent of the total water
power ultimately available in this
lrea. But practical development of
water power will probably be such
hat not over 25 per cent of the total
power demand in any year can
'e met from this source. PRINCIPAL
dependence, therefore, must be placed
ipon generation of power from coal.
There are in this area nearly
-wo hundred different utility COM
'anies engaged in power production
and distribution, many under common
ownership. OF these about As per
cent are technically interconnected,
but only about s per cent of the
nterconnections have capacity large
enough for effective interchange of
power. Great economies in cost of
production can be secured from the
early effective interconnection of
these utility systems, in some cases
INVOLVING larger and systematic high
voltage transmission"
Such interconnection, according to
The engineers, will lead to the reduc-
ton of the amount of reserve equip
nent, "betteH average load factor
through pooling of daily and seasonal
oad variation and wide diversified
ton of use through increased indus
rial consumption" and more security
IN power supply against interruption
by many causes. 1t will also mean
that available water power in the
area can be much more advantage
ously applied to carry base or peak
oad as local conditions may require.
1t should make possible the use of sec
ondary water power which arises
from the seasonal flow of streams,
and thus bring into practical use a.
larger quantity of water power than
would otherwise be possible. Finally,
power would be available more
quickly to meet growing demands.
SeEreEate Water Power.
The report goes on to point out
that the economic generation and
Of power vitadly requires
that it be produced in large plants.
Present practice indicates that such
plants should be constructed with
total capacities of from 100000 to
800, 900 kilowatts, using generators of