The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-03-25
CAN
USEFALLS
CHEAPLY
Estimates Show Hydro Power
Is Well Within Commercial
Co st Operation.

ct0A and hydraulic engineer, has
outlined the mechanical cOmstY1tc-
ton Of the proposed utilization of
Potomac mater for developing cleo
t''sc power for Washington. Mr..
Lucas directed the survey of the
Great Falls hydgoeIectric project
for the w. G. Cornell COmpony.)
By GEORGE WILLIAM LUCAS.
ARTICLE No. A.
The electrical output of the
several generating stations in the
District Of Columbia for the year
1928 was in the total about $780,
100000 kilowatt hours. The first
stage plant Of the Great Falls
development, as designed, could
support such an output with an
excess margin of wide range.
OF the total, the Potomac Elec-
trio Power Company generated
about rs per cent, the remainder
being credited to the plants Of
the Capital Traction Company and
the United States Government.
Within period Of three to five
years it is estimated that the
natural increase in the demand for
electric current will be approx
mately 10 to Is per cent.
The construction of the second
stage Of the hydro.electric develop
ment would then be necessary to
meet the needs, and such Is the in
tent of the promoting agencies to
the enterprise. This increase will Of
a certainty come at the time pre-.
dicted and more than likely at an
earlier date, since with the de.
creased rates for electric current
following the starting of the first
stage of the Great Falls develop.
ment the demand will jump very
rapidly and the total available out
put will be absorved in a short
while.
Should this actually occur, the
plan Of delaying the construction
OF the second stage plant at Chain
Bridge may have to be modified
to the extent of making it a neces-
sity and an ECONOMY to construct
both elements at the same time,
This naturally would make a larger
initial appropriation necessary, % but
the prospective earning capacity
or the enterprise on a commercial
basis would in proportion be also
increased, so that the economic
factor remains undisturbed.
Needs Of the District.
This phase of the general subject
Of Great Falls power has occasioned
much heated discussion many times
in the past few years and served
as a favorite topic in the attacks
made by the opponents to the
project.
The claim was set up that the
cost of such a development, that
could meet the actual demand for
power, would be prohibitively high
and such as to condemn the plant
construction as an uneconomical
venture. This is hardly borne out
by the analysis offered and made
by careful agencies, expert in the
fields OF economics and engineering
construction,
It is to be remarked that those
who made the adverse comments on
the economies Of construction at
least admitted the possibility of
making the development Of suffi-
clent capacity. and that the natural
values OF the river existed as
claimed by the advocates of the
enterprise.
A composite daily load curve of
the power output of the several
plants in the District Of Columbia
during the past year indicates an
average daily demand of $4,000 kilo.
watts, with a peak demand Of So, 900
during brief periods.
Proposal for Chain Bridge.
Machinery and equipment to the
extent OF measuring up to this
demand Is devised for installation in
the first stage of the Great Falls
development, with margin in ex-
cess capacity sufficient to keep pace
with the normal increases expected
during the next three years. The
rated capacity of this plant will he
10000 kilowatts, representing the
maximum generating value, which.
with allowances for losses in the
various stages of transformation and
transmission to the city distribution
centers, will net effectively about
$1,000 kiloWatts- delivered.
IN the second stage element at
Chaln Bridge the capacity of the
electrical machinery will be $4,000
klloWatts, with an equivalent of
about 10000 delivered to the distri-
button centers.
The total net capacity of the two
plants amounts to $1,000 kilowatts
delivered, providing a sufficient
store of energy for Washington
Tor several years to come.
1t is readily seen that the actual
accomplishment Of the project
should be made at as early a date
as possible. If the outlined schedule
is to be followed. Delay beyond n
reasonable range of time will, on
account of the increasing demand
and usageS for electric current in
the District of Columbia, make II
Q necessity to construct both stages
OF the development at the same
time.
Extensions to Be Needed.
Three years from the present
date the demand for current will
be so great that the first element,
the Cupid's Bower plant, will barely
suffice to meet the requirements.
According to the planned order of
construction, a certain measure of
economy will be had II the orig.
inal idea of a time interval is al.
lowed between the two initial stages
of the development.
This is brought about by the
fact that the first plant, meeting
the needs for the time being, could
operate with such revenue returns
that the original appropriation for
the entire project could be some
what curtailed.