The Washington times., 1924-07-28
DE 0PMENT
Of POTOMAC
URGED
Hoover Makes Report on
Power Needs Of Northsast-
ern Section of y. s.
lcOntInued from 30 ls.l

:
ing isolated systems, construction
q large steam plants at strategic
points and the develo pmeat or large
hydro electric projects.
Need for Developments.
The need for some speedy and
sound solution OF the problem u
supplying sufficient electrical power
for the growing demands 81 this
section Of the country, the report
states, Is shown by the fact that the
use Of electrical power III this area
has been increasing at the rate 81
10 per cent q year. The commit
tee estimates that the demand win
reach 10000, 100000 lkIIowatt hours
In 1880.
The demand Is now supplied from
water and from coal generators.
The present developed water power
Is about 100000 horsepower. The
total potential water power avail.
able during 90 per cent or the wear
II $4,000 horsepower, while
during at least six months OF the
year q total Of 1871, 900 horsepower
IS constantly available.
AZ present only SO per cent of
the total WaterpoWer in the area
mas been developed. Great water.
power developments can stu be
made In the Niagara, st. Lawrence.
Delaware, Susquehanna, upper Ohio
tributaries, the rivers of the Adj.
rondacks the rivers Of Maine ana
the Potomac river, the COMMITTEES
The large demand affords Al i'm.
mediate market for the cheaper
water power and makes its deveI.
Opments both urgent and neces-
sary," the committee declares.
the investigation revealed that
the total practicable tleyeIopnnent
q water power by 1880 probably
win not supply much more than BIZ
per cent Of the demand for current
This means that the bulk of Dower
must be furnished BY generation 81
power from coal.
GOmpanies In Operation.
There are, in the area affactaa
nearly 200 different utility con,.
panies engaged in electric nowar
production and Distribution. many ~
which are under common ownar-
ship. the report reveals. " ~.
or this number about Ak nav
cent are technically" internon IN.
nected, but only abotIt ner cent
Of the interconnectlons have suTfi.
Gent capacity for the effective n.
terchange of power.
The report shows that in 1899 a.
the primary States OF the area
there was produced 21.2O0. 900 900
kitowatt hours OF electrical energy
ef which $500 900 600 kilowats
hours, or Is per cent, was produced
by water power.
here. is in addition approxi-
mately 10000, 900 horsepower. enIlsl
70 approximately II, 500 900 900 IxiIn.
watt hours, Of mechanical poyveY.
used ia industry, not inciudinv
railroad transportation which -
some extent could be adyarlta0enus.
~ replaced by electrical power. !"
tne report continues. Beyond this
concerted development of elac.
trlcal power would permit Of TIA
aovantageous use of approximately
1900, 100000 kilowatt hours ner
year, say 1,000,0 600 horsepower. IA.
railroad Identification.
Large Plants Needed.
The. economic generation and dis.
trlDutlOn OF power vitality requires
that It be produced in large plants
the committee declares: Present
practice indicates that such nlauts
should be constructed with total ca
pacities OF from 100000 to 500 90
xil0watts, using generators Of not
less than 10000 kilowatts each.
Such plants can be constructed
to operate with must greater me-
chanical and fuel efficiency than
smaller and isolated plants, the
lcommittee found The large plants
can also be operated with greater
economy in overhead costs. Thew
can accumulate larger. reserves Of
fuel when the market price Il low
and use lower grades OF fuel than
the smaller plants. In addition the
supply Of power from such plants
at higher load factors permits their
operation to replace obsolete and
low efficiency local plants now IN
Iuse, or transfers the latter to use
on peak load, or as emergency
reserve
Because of natural conditions. in
Guiding the matter Of water sum
ply for condensation purposes. cost
OF coal and cost OF coal transpor.
fation. as compared with trans
mission Of electrical power from
coal fields, the committee finds that
the location of such huge steam
plants Is restricted. to locations
along the Atlantic seaboard. the
Great Lakes, the Ohio river and its
tributaries, and the Susquehanna
river.
Potomac RIVER Plan.
The committee does not follow
entirely the plans Of army en-.
gineers Tor the development OF
the power Of the Potomac. The plan
advanced by the engineers calls for
development of the entire Potomac
power at two huge power dams,
one at Great Falls, the other at
Chain Bridge.
The committee suggests q 1SO, 900
horsepower plant at Great Falls, Il
10000 horsepower plant near the
junction Of the Shenandoah river
with the Potomac, q 81, 900 horse
power plant west Of. Martinsburg
and a 10000 horsepower plaut at
the mouth Of the South Branch OF
the Potomac, below Cumberland,
Md.
The committee investigation
showed Consumption OF $50, 900 900
l1ilowatt hours OF current in Wash.
ington In 1922 and forecasts q con.
sumption Of double this amount. or
700 100000 lsilowatt hours In 1890.
The committee in outlining new
f,.n ytsy1nircfnr1 linno vryvnl.p. 81 ...yVa M 4