Milford chronicle., 1958-11-07
Plans For Future
Vienna Plant Power

Vienna Power Plant will con-
tinue as a part of the company
system for generating electric
power, according to a statement
made this week by George M. Nell
son, President OF Eastern Shore
Public Service.
Recently, said Mr.. Nelson, I'VE
were compelled to review and re-
wise our plans for power produc-
ton. Although the recession has
not affected the Delmarva area too
seriously and directly, it has affect
ed Eastern Shore Public Service
through the Estate power pool, of
which it is part. The recession has
slowed up production in industry
in the eastern states served by
member companies of the power
pool. Everyone is familiar, for in
stance, with the cut-back of the
automobile industry in nearby Will
mington. The same situation is
true in other industries and other
cities. Consequently, industry calls
for less power than original fore
casts estimated The Maryland,
New Jersey Pennsylvania power
pool does not require the large
amount of current which it would
have needed had industry continued
at peak production.
1t was the prospect of peak in
dustrial production that encourag-
ed electric company management
fo qfop mn o.rfpr.S 81 Tr1for D;x,n,.
to 10000 kilowatts. And if indus
trial production had continued to
increase at it's 1851 pace, both
Vienna and Indian River Power
Plants would have been called upon
to produce at capacity for Delmar-
va customers ano for the power
pool.
Since Eastern Snore Public Ser
vice must effect a reduction in pow
er output, the logical and economi-
cal step is to use the modern turbo-
generators at Indian River. They
are highly efficient and produce a
kilowatt hour cheaper than the
older turbogenerators at Vienna.
Unfortunately, electricity is a COM
modify which cannot be made
ahead of time and stored until
needed. II that were true, the pow
er plants could produce a huge
stockpile now for future consump-
tion. But the nature of electricity
is such that it must be manufac-
tured at the instant it is required.
The reduction in power output
means that the Vienna plant will
need fewer employees. A rchpprai-
sal of personnel requirements in
dicated that Ga people could man
the plant adequately on a 3-shift
basis, during 1859. Until recently
94 were employed at the plant. Here
is what happened to the 30 people
no longer needed at Vienna.
Two of them filled vacant Jobs
within the company at Salisbury.
Fourteen of them were laid off
either because they did not chonse
to transfer to Indian River Power
Plant, or because they were hired
recently. The remaining fourteen
were assigned jobs at Indian River
which they accepted.
The transfer of men in Indian
River meant that five newly hired
employees at that plant were re-
placed with people from Vienna
who had substantially longer SER
vice records. Four of the five were
laid off and one man who had the
necessary qualifications was trans
ferred to the sales department in
A total complement of
SO people will operate two genera
ting units at Indian River, pro-
ducing 10000 kilowatts.
During 1859, the Ga people en-
pl0yed at Vienna will perform
maintenance work and keep the
plant ready to produce power on
short notice. Maintenance work is
more difficult in an idle plant than
one running at full capacity. An
idle plant may be compared in some
degree with an idle automobile and
readers are familiar with the de-
terioration which may set in unless
precautions are taken. Plans are
definite for operating the plants
two more modern generators while
generators at Indian River are
serviced and also during sum-
mer when peak demands for power
occur. Projected plans propose to
gradually increase the uses of the
equipment at Vienna so that five
years from now, three of the seven
generators will operate every
month in the year and the others
will be used at least two months
and perhaps more.
Vienna Power Plant is very
much in our future production
plans" said Mr.. Nelson. "1t will
play an important part in keeping
our n0uar c,1nnIv donande.rIa