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<br />What is the maximum discharge capacity
<br />of the spillways, valves, and powerplnnt?
<br />Five hundred and eighteen thousand f\'ls.
<br />Each spillway can discharge 200,000
<br />ft3/s. If the spillways were operated at
<br />full capacity, the energy of the falling
<br />water would be about 25,000,000
<br />horsepower. The flow over each spillway
<br />would be about the same as the flow
<br />over Niagara Falls, and the drop from the
<br />top of the raised spillway gates to river
<br />level would be approximately three times
<br />as great.
<br />
<br />The Power Development
<br />
<br />Where is the powerplanr located?
<br />In a V-shaped stlUcture at the base of
<br />the dam. Each powerplant wing is 650
<br />feet long, 150 feet above normal tailrace
<br />water surface, and 299 feet (nearly 20
<br />stories) above the powerplant foundation.
<br />In all of the galleries of the plant there
<br />arc 10 acres of floor space.
<br />
<br />W1wr is the installed capacity of the
<br />Hoover Power plant ?
<br />There arc 17 main turbines in Hoover
<br />Powerplant. The turbines in units A-5,
<br />A-7, N-5, and N-7 have been replaced
<br />with new units. With a rated capacity of
<br />2,011,000 horsepower and two station-
<br />service units rated at 3,500 horsepower
<br />each for a plant total of 2,018,000
<br />horsepower, the plant has a nameplate
<br />capacity of 1,407,300 kilowans. This in-
<br />cludes the two station-service units,
<br />which arc rated at 2,400 kilowatts each.
<br />
<br />What is horsepower in terms of falling
<br />water?
<br />One cubic foot of water falling 8.81 feet
<br />per second equals Olle horsepower at 100
<br />percent efficiency.
<br />
<br />HolV does the water reach the turbines?
<br />Through four pressure penstocks, two on
<br />each side of the river. Shutoff gates con-
<br />trol water delivery to the units.
<br />
<br />Under ~1/hat heads do the turbines
<br />operate?
<br />Maximum head (vertical distance water
<br />travels), 590 feet; minimum, 420 feet;
<br />average, 510 to 530 feet.
<br />
<br />When were power installations in the
<br />plant completed and of what do they con-
<br />sist?
<br />Installation was completed in 1961. With
<br />the uprating completed in 1982, there are
<br />four 157,000-horsepower, eleven
<br />115,000-horsepower, one 70,000-
<br />horsepower, and one 55,OOO-horsepower
<br />Francis-type vertical hydraulic turbines.
<br />There are thirtcen 82,5oo-kilowatt, one
<br />I30,000-kilowatt, one 115,000-kilowatt,
<br />one 50,000-kilowatt, and one
<br />40,000-kilowall generator. Some
<br />machines are rated at 50 cycles;
<br />however, all are operated at 60 cycles.
<br />There are also two 2,4oo-kilowall
<br />station-service units driven by Pelton
<br />water wheels. These provide electrical
<br />energy for lights and for operating
<br />cranes, pumps, motors, compressors, and
<br />other electrical equipment within the dam
<br />and powerplant.
<br />
<br />How was the powerplant machinclY
<br />transported from the canyon rim to the
<br />powel]Jlant?
<br />Ao electrically operated cableway of
<br />150 tons rated capacity, with a
<br />1,200-foot span across the canyon,
<br />lowered all heavy and bulky equipment.
<br />The cableway is still used when
<br />necessary .
<br />
<br />How much energy does Hoover
<br />Power plant produce on a .yearly basis?
<br />The average annual net generation for
<br />Hoover Powerplant for operating years
<br />1937 through 1982 is about 3.5 billion
<br />kilowatt-hours. The maximum annual net
<br />generation at Hoover Powerplant was
<br />6,463,483,000 kilowatt-hours in 1953,
<br />while the minimum annual net generation
<br />since 1940 was 2,614,512,600 kilowatt- ,
<br />hours in 1965. About 6 million barrels
<br />of oil would be required by an oil-fired
<br />generating plant to supply the average
<br />amount of energy generated by the plant
<br />annually. .
<br />
<br />Aerial view of powe'1J!a11f and Colorado Riverfar below crest of Hoover Dam
<br />
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