|
<br />o
<br />~
<br />00
<br />--'
<br />
<br />c
<br />
<br />
<br />A-5 was installed for the Southern Cali-
<br />fornia Edison Co. Unit N~7, installed for
<br />the Defense Plant COIvoration, was trans-
<br />ferred to the State of Nevada on June I.
<br />1951. Since September 1, 1961, however,
<br />the unit has served the Metropolitan
<br />Water District of Southern California.
<br />One of the major users of hydroelec-
<br />tric power from Hoover during World
<br />\\'ar II was the huge magnesium plant
<br />near Henderson, about 10 miles nOI1h-
<br />west of Boulder City. Built by the
<br />Defense Plant Corporation, this facility
<br />used onc-founh of the energy generated
<br />by the powerpiant in 1943:
<br />In 1952, generating units A-3, A-4,
<br />and A-9 began production. A-3 and A-4
<br />were installed for the State of Arizona,
<br />while unit A-9 serves Nevada.
<br />The latter units completed installation
<br />in the Arizona wing of the plant. In-
<br />stallation of Unit N-8 in 1961 completed
<br />the Nevada wing of the powerplant, and
<br />brought the plant's capacity to 1,344,800
<br />kilowatts. Following the uprating of
<br />
<br />generators A-5 and N-8 in 1982, the
<br />plant's rated capacity was increased to
<br />1,407,300 kilowatts. Under consideration
<br />is additional uprating of existing units, or
<br />addition of more generating units, to fur-
<br />ther increase the plant's peaking
<br />capacity.
<br />Sixteen high-voltage transmission lines
<br />connect Hoover Dam with its power
<br />market area. Two lines terminate at Los
<br />Angeles, a line distance of 266 miles. A
<br />third line extends to Los Angeles via the
<br />McCullough switching station. where the
<br />energy is stepped up to 500,000 volts.
<br />One line extends to San Bernardino,
<br />California. Three lines extend to Las
<br />Vegas, Nevada. One of the latter con-
<br />nects with the Davis Dam transmission
<br />system. Other lines extend to Kingman,
<br />Arizona; Needles, California; and nearby
<br />Boulder City.
<br />
<br />Hoover Powerplant is interconnected
<br />with the downstream Davis and Parker
<br />Powerplants. Energy supplied by the
<br />Parker and Davis plants is delivered to
<br />Arizona and southern California, and to
<br />industries in Henderson, Nevada. The
<br />Department of Energy's Western Area
<br />Power Administration markets energy
<br />produced by these three hydroelectric
<br />powerplants.
<br />Davis Powerplant, 67 miles below
<br />Hoover, has an installed capacity of
<br />225,000 kilowatts. Parker Powerplant,
<br />155 miles below Hoover Dam, has an
<br />installed capacity of 120,000 kilowatts.
<br />For the years 1951 to 1982, Davis
<br />Powerplant generated an average of more
<br />than I billion kilowatt-hours each year,
<br />while the average annual energy genera-
<br />tion for Parker Dam from 1946 through
<br />1982 was about 595 million kilowatt-
<br />hours.
<br />As the amount ofencrgy generated at
<br />Hoover Dam rose, the benefits of that
<br />energy spread throughout the Pacific
<br />Southwest economy. For example,
<br />energy rates in Los Angeles were
<br />lowered, saving Los Angeles metro-
<br />politan area consumers an estimated
<br />$1,320,000 during the first year the plant
<br />was in operation. But perhaps no other
<br />phase of the area's economy was more
<br />directly affected than its mining and
<br />mineral industries.
<br />Directly, or through interconnection,
<br />Hoover-produced energy figured in
<br />Southwest mineral production in the
<br />following places and industries: in
<br />California, tungsten at Bradensburg;
<br />saline deposits at Owens and Searles
<br />Lake; steel at Fontana; borax near
<br />Karmcr; cement at Victorville, Colton,
<br />and Monolith; aluminum at Torrance. In
<br />Nevada, burcite and magnesite at Gabbs;
<br />silica sand near Overton; and manganese
<br />near Boulder City. In the Bagdad,
<br />Arizona area, the low-cost energy
<br />revitalized the copper industry.
<br />The mines near Pioche, Nevada, also
<br />benefited. This region, 156 transmission-
<br />line miles north of Hoover Dam, was
<br />completely without electricity before
<br />energy from the facility became
<br />available.
<br />
<br />39
<br />
|