A Study of Underground Distribution Systems for the City of New Orleans

Recent developments in alternating current low-voltage networks have aroused a considerable amount of interest as to the application of a-c. distribution to the service requirements of business centers of large cities. Therefore, when the New Orleans Public Service Inc. was recently confronted with the necessity for rehabilitating its underground distribution system, it was decided that a thorough investigation should be made to determine the economics and advantages of various a-c. systems as compared with d-c. distribution. This paper gives the results of the investigation which was made, and describes the system which was selected to form the basis for serving the future growth of load in the underground district of New Orleans and for eventually displacing the present distribution system.