The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-08-23
LAST POWER UNIT OF GORCAS PLANT NOW COMPLETED
New Division Generates 3O,OOO Horse
 power

Tie final unit of the Gorgas steam plant of the Alabama Power company has been completed, and was placed in operation Thursday. The plant, built in three units, will furnish a very large additional electric energy to this state, it being stated that the additional power is sufficient to light the homes of q city of 10000 population. The unit guarantees ,30,O00 horsepower, making the Atotal production at Gorgas over 10O. GOO horsepower. An announcement from the executive offices of the Ala bama Power company says that the plant is the largest steam producer in the south.
 The completion t this unit. making the final step in tuc development at Gorgas, is one of special interest, in view of the prominence given the plant in the Henry Ford bid for Muscle Shoals, and subsequently, the statement from H. fz7ilis Mccormack, vice presi- dent of the Pratt Consolidated Coal company, that he, owned the land on which Gorgas was built.
 The Alabama Power company built one unit at Gorgas and was at work on the second when plans were changed to accommodate the government during the war. The government completed the seooud unit md in eIter1l8sr, 1923 the Alabana Power eompang paid ths a0vefnEnent ga. 9 for- tAe llElis. The third unit was started in October, 1923, and was completed in record time.
 Cost Uncertain
 Estimates of the cost of the first unit and the third were not available Friday or contained in the detailed statement from the offices of Thomas ". Martin, president of the company, which follows: E
 'The new unit is nine-stage, Curtis type 1,800-r.p.m., 1S,200 volts and weighs, complete, 2S5 tons. 1t em- bodies several material improvements that have been developed by the man ufacturers during the last three years, and is rated with the most efficient present day units. It is estimated that it will furnish sufficient energy to light 6O0,000 Mazda lamps, which, on basis of 16, 2J-watt lamps to a home, would be sufficient to illuminate 50,000 residences. Figuring the strength of this unit in term of manpOwer, ex- perts calculate that it will do the mus cle-work of 1,8O9,U ,U00 men working in three shifts of 8 hours each.
 Completed In 1919
 "1rhe Gorgas steam plant, with an initial installation of 30,000 horsepow- CT, was completed in 1917. Realizing that the need for additional standby power would increase from year to year, the plant was so designed that two additional units might be added later and all foundations, gates, screens, eondenseFs and ash handling equipment to care for the other units were in- stalled when the plant was first built. During the World war, in response to the urgent need of the times, the com pany altered its plans for Gorgas' de- velopment and turned over it's com plete facilities to the government, in- stalling a 10000 horsepower unit for the government in the position intended for the company's second unit. This unit was purchased from the govern ment in September, 1923, for $3,472,- 487 25 and work on the third and final unit was begun the following month.
 "In addition to being one of the coun- try's largest steam plants, the Warrior reserve is one of the most efficient. Located as it is on the banks of. river and at the mouth of a coal mine, the fuel and water problems are greatly simnlified,"