Long Power Transmission in Mexico

Long Power Transmission in Mexico.

The formal opening of the large electric-light and power plant of the Guanajuato (Mexico) Electric Light and Power Company, which look place in that city on October 29th, was made the occasion of festivities and celebrations lasting several days. The importance of the project led to the presence of President Porfirio Diaz and members of his cabinet and many other Mexican federal and state officials. The company is composed of Americans. Henry Hine of Colorado Springs, Colo., is president, John Hays Hammond vice-president, Leonard F. Curtis treasurer, Trying W. Bonbright secretary, H. H. Filley resident manager and chief engineer, and Robert F. Doble of San Francisco consulting engineer. The machinery already installed is of 4,000-horsepower capacity, while the capacity of the water head and the transmission lines is 8,000 horsepower. The cost of the work up to this time is about $500,000 Mexican money. The construction of the plant began 14 months ago.

The initial generating station is situated on the Duero River, in the state of Michoacan. A canal seven kilometers long conveys the water from the river to the penstock, whence it is carried through iron pipes one kilometer long to the generating station, giving an approximate head of 100 meters. There are installed in the station two Pelton water-wheels directly connected to two generators of 1,500 kilowatts, or approximately 2,000 horsepower each, generating 2,300-volt, three-phase, 60-cycle current. The current from the generators goes through three step-up transformers of 1,080 kilowatts capacity each, water-cooled and oil-insulated, where the voltage is increased from 2,300 as generated at the terminals of the dynamos to 60,000, at which pressure it is conveyed along the three transmission lines to the distributing station at Pastita, a suburb of Guanajuato, a distance of no miles from the generating plant.

The transmission lines are supported at the tops of 40-foot steel towers, placed 440 feet apart. Along with the three high-tension wires, which are of bare, uninsulated copper, the towers carry the telephone line from the power station to Guanajuato. The insulators of the high-tension lines are of the Locke type, tested to a voltage of 120,000, made of clay, and glazed brown.

The 60,000 voltage passes through three transformers at the sub-station at Pastita, which reduce the pressure to 15,000 volts, at which pressure it is carried over the transmission lines to the mines, where three-phase transformers step it down to 460 volts, which is applied direct to the terminals of the motors.

There are many large mines situated in this district and the company now has in operation 1,500 horsepower of electrical energy. Among the companies which have closed contracts to take light and power from the Guanajuato Electric Light and Power Company is the local electric-light company, which will receive current sufficient for its street and commercial lamps in this city. Electrical energy is also to be supplied to several mining companies for the operation of pumps, stamps, mills and other machinery. It is expected that many other contracts will be secured soon.

The company is erecting another sub-station at Irapuato, where 400 horsepower will be installed. This electrical energy will be used for providing light for the town of Irapuato and for the operation of several flour mills and other industrial plants. Several lines will be run to neighboring ranches and farms for operating small mills, etc. A number of contracts of this character have been closed by the company.

The construction will soon commence on another transmission line to be extended from Irapuato to the town of Mesquite Gordo, where the large hacienda of the Castenada estate is situated. This line will provide, power for operating a large flour mill and various kinds of farm machinery. The same line will be extended to the town of Silao and probably to Leon.

When the plans of the company are completed it is expected that the full capacity of 8,000 horsepower afforded by the water head will be utilized. The same interests which compose the Guanajuato Electric Light and Power Company have organized a separate corporation which will soon commence the construction of another big electric-power plant in the state of Guanajuato for the purpose of providing electrical energy for the operation of the mills and machinery of the numerous large mines of the El Oro district, situated near the City of Mexico. Several hundred thousand dollars will be expended in this new enterprise.