Discussion on Paper George J. Henry, Jr., and Joseph N. Le Conte, Entitled, "An Efficient High Pressure Water Power Transmission Plant"

Comments by F.O. Blackwell, H.A. Lardner, and B.J. Arnold. The Redlands plant is the first three-phase power transmission plant in the United States. It had at first two 250 k.w. 2500 volt generators, operated by wheels under a 300 foot head, alnd a seven mile transmission; synchronous motors were used. Later, ahead of 800 feet was developed, and two 450 k.w. 11,000 volt machines were operated on a 30-mile transruission. This plant was connected in parallel with the Santa Ana plant, which supplied a transmission line 90 miles long to Los Angeles. The plant described in the pnaper operates under a head cf 2,000 feet and has a capacity of 4,000 hp, using the same water as the former plant. The generators are of low-voltage, tlle line pressure is 33,000 volts, and feeds into the same transmission lines to Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Edison Company controls seven power stations, located at points as far apart as 100 miles - all feeding the same transmission system, and operating practically as one station; they are now developing a new plant on the Kern River, of a capacity of 20,000 h.p. to operate at 60,000 vclts and transmuit 150 miles to Los Angeles. Thus the history of this system embodies the entire development cf hydro-electric transmission in this country.