The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-03-31

i NJ SUuAACp bAGy are HOW DS1uR 1
bootlegged all over the city.
Bennings central station could not
be reckoned with, since It would
exceed the unit cost limit.
/ In order that any community
may come into the enjoyment Of
the benefits Of this economy plan,
1t is necessary that its present
generating plants affording service
be economical to the extent named.
i Hence, IL the National Capital
were solely dependent upon the
Potomac Electric Power Company's
! sources, 1t would not be included
in the plan. Therefore the Great
Falls development serves to deter.
mine Washington's position In the
economic scheme.
/ Considered. Worthy Element.
! The hydroelectric development OF
the upper river has been agreed
upon as worthy element, Offering
features of economy In power pro.
duction. II the local conditions
prevail, that determine the FEAST
bility OF the Great Falls develop.
ment, they are reinforced by the
conditions OF the larger sphere. (.
The moving spirits in this enter
Iprise are men well known In the
field OF industrial engineering who
lare preceding along q certain and
deliberate course, and II is assured
THAT within reasonable range Of
thine the plan as adopted win be
Irealized.
i The title of the projected enter.
Iprise is the Washington Boston su.
,per-power loop. This does not nec-
essArily mean that the National
Capital is the limit Of it's extent
to the South, and Boston to the
north, but that the two cities men.
toned are the largest centers Of
population near the two extremities
lof the line.
The present plans in fact indi.
cate extensions of the power lines
to the Appalachian mountains, south
and west Of Washington. These ex-
tensions are to connect with the
power generating sources at the
coal mines of the region named.
Mouth-of.the.mine electric mower
plants have increased greatly in
numbers during the past few years.
and the economies OF generating
current, directly at the site Of
the natural fuel deposits, have been
proven long ago.
Cost of power production at these
plants Is extremely low, but this Of
ffers no surprise to any one who
considers the real factors that make
fuel costs so great in the cities,
miles away from the coal mines.
ana causing power production in
city steam plants to be SO expen.
sive.
Efficiency In Transmission.
Efficiency in power transmission
methods has progressed to a won
derful extent within recent years.
and a degree of perfection has been
reached which, by comparison with
the methods Of few years back. IL
hardly to be realized.
The design of transformers. the
chief agencies of power transmit.
ting systems, has been completely
revised from that in practice up
until few seasons ago. The losses
attending the sending Of energy
over power lines. formerly were very
great and the limit of transmission
under economic conditions was re.
stricted.
The voltage or electrical pressure
limits have been extended, and power
is now& turned into the lines at
pressures in the hundreds Of thou.
sands of volts. And the end is not
yet. We may confidently l,ok for.
ward to higher degrees of perfeo.
ton In the power transmission field.
Ten years from today the mouth
of.the-mlne power plants viii rela.
atlVely be adjacent to the cities,
so highly perfected will transmits
H0 4.
In general. the proposed line of
connection at this end of the
superpower loop follows the Pied
mont section of Virginia, and then
crossing the Blue Ridge mountain
range, terminates in the coal meas.
ures of the Alleghenies, where plants
OF limited capacities at present are
being operated. Within a few wears
these plants will have m enormous
growth to meet the demands upon
them.
At the present date the route of
this projected line between Washing
ton and the coal measures IL ira
versed by many Independent lines,
OF high tension and limited capa-
cities, serving the many small towns
and communities along the way for
their electric current needs. In ef.
feet the route Is broken up into q
series Of groups Of systems each
ted by its .own central generating
plant.
Consultations Of Groups.
From time to time there will fol.
low the consolidation Of groups ad.
Jacent to one another, until finally
complete union of all the systems
along the proposed loop extension
will have become reality.
The economies, as planned and
predicted by the supporters Of the
Superpower undertaking, win then
be The order.
The small towns in Virginia will
become the beneficiaries of the sys.
tenn, as well as-the larger cities.
1t Is not difficult to picture the
layout OF the immense system OF
international power lines, embraced
in the Superpower Loop, and the
economics to follow from the CEN
tralizatiOn Of power distribution
from q single feeder system, to
embrace such q vast and important
area as that between Washington
and Boston.
The Great Falls Of the Potomac
win to the limits Of itb possibilities,
make contribution. Well It Is that
such a reserve of energy is natural
~ at hand for conversion, to serve
Al