Re-Designing Catawba Station for Service on a Large Transmission Systems

This paper describes the re-design and re-construction of the first hydroelectric power station of the Duke Power System in the Carolinas, now (1927) comprising twelve water-power and six steam-power plants of an aggregate installed capacity of 749 925 kv-a., feeding a transmission system of approximately 3 000 miles of electric circuits. This plant, located on the Catawba River near Rock Hill, S. C., had an original installation of eight rope-driven generators of 5 600 kw. total capacity. The head of water was 23 ft. Operation of the plant began in 1904, and power was transmitted at 11 000 volts to adjacent territory. After twenty years' operation of the plant, it was decided to raise the dam 47.6 ft., and the reconstructed plant is now operating under a maximum head of 70 ft. The new power-house installation consists of four vertical-shaft, water-wheel-driven generators of 60 000 kw. total capacity. The current is stepped up to 100 000 volts for transmission.