The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1939-02-08
ALL EQUIPMENT
IS UP TO DATE
Spare No Expense In
Economic Operation
OF City's Light

The management OF Tacoma's
municipal electric system has spe-
cialized in providing equipment
that is the latest in design and
efficiency. and no expense is
spared to keep the equipment up
to date.
Light departments engineers
are constantly searching for i'm
proved equipment and new appli-
ances that will safeguard con-
tinuity of service, and improve,
stabilize and regulate the flow of
electricity into the home. stores
and industries of the city. At
present some 100000 is being
spent for rebuilding and renewing
many Of the lines and much of the
distribution equipment that have
been In service q comparatively
short number of years. due 10 new
inventions discovered in the past
year or so.
IT has been but a short time
since. entirely at its own cost and
without requiring the commercial
consumers to pay any portion OF
the expense. the light system has
installed a complete underground
distribution system, using the
latest four-wire. 20s-volt network.
Thk new underground clec-
trio distribution system has
practically done away with all
poles and wires abovcground
In the downtown area, and
with the elimination Of trolley
and feeder wires, resulting
from motorization Of both the
publicly owned and privately
owned street car systems, the
downtown areas are almost
completely free from dis
figuring poles and wires that
40 often mar the appearance
Of American city streets.
Service Insured
The Tacoma municipal electric
system serves the United States
army post at Fort Lewis with cleo
trio energy: also the state OF
Washington's Western state hos
pital, and the system. at its own
cpst and expense, has Inherited
these lines In such a way that
even with considerable trouble due
70 internal or external causes. 1t
can maintain service over alter
nate lines. all in excess of respon-
sibilties under agreements between
the municipal system and these
other important governmental
agencies.
The utility maintains five elec-
trio generating stations. COMPOSED
Of IL generating units, Three
generating stations and eight Of
the IL generating units are oper-
ated bv water power. and two Of
the stations with three of the
units, are operated by steam
power. total capacities amounting
Il ZOE. 900 horsepower, The hydro
units are used for ordinary opera
ton of the system. and at the
present time adequately supply the
entire systems requirements.
Standby Steam Plants
The steam stations are maintain
Cd only for emergency or standby
service. 80 that any one, or even
two. of the hydro stations could
be entirely shut down, II neces-
sary, without interfering with the
self-sufficiency of the system to
supply its entire power require
ments.
; In addition to the systems own
generating facilities. 1t is connect
ed with the Seattle municipal sys-
tenn BY a mutual intertie line with
q peak capacity OF 10000 kilowat.s
which serves as an additional in
surance factor against any possible
breakdown In the generating facili-
ties of either system.
In the last two years the
interior electrical equipment Of
the Nisquallv substati0n has
been rosnodclsd and now APP
paratM Installed; the capacity
Of the tide flats substation has
been greatly enlarged. ex-
panded and modernized. The
South Tacoma substation has
:. been completely rebuilt to
, take care Of the rapidly grow
ing load In that section. and
one entirely new substation