Early Electrification of Buffalo: Types of Electric Service available in Buffalo

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−	An October 1921 Buffalo General Electric magazine called ‘The Welder’ showed the availability of electric service with 25-Hz service for power generally available in all parts of the City and other types of service as follows:	+	An October 1921 Buffalo General Electric magazine called ‘The Welder’ showed the availability of electric service with 25-Hz service for power generally available in all parts of the City and other types of service as follows:<sup>i</sup>
	[[Image:11-154 25 Hz service cropped.GIF|thumb|left|120x160px|Availability of 25 Hz Service (Lighting, principally for residential)]][[Image:11-155 60.5 Hz service cropped.GIF|thumb|right|120x160px]][[Image:11-156 DC Edison Service. cropped.GIF|thumb|left|120x160px|Availability of Direct Current (Edison System (110/220-V) Downtown Business District)]]1. 25-Hz service for lighting largely confined to the northern half of the City.		[[Image:11-154 25 Hz service cropped.GIF|thumb|left|120x160px|Availability of 25 Hz Service (Lighting, principally for residential)]][[Image:11-155 60.5 Hz service cropped.GIF|thumb|right|120x160px]][[Image:11-156 DC Edison Service. cropped.GIF|thumb|left|120x160px|Availability of Direct Current (Edison System (110/220-V) Downtown Business District)]]1. 25-Hz service for lighting largely confined to the northern half of the City.
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	[[Image:11-157 DC 500 V cropped.GIF|thumb|right|120x160px|Availability of Direct Current 500-V (principally for elevators)]]4. Direct current at 500 volts available for power principally for elevators.		[[Image:11-157 DC 500 V cropped.GIF|thumb|right|120x160px|Availability of Direct Current 500-V (principally for elevators)]]4. Direct current at 500 volts available for power principally for elevators.
−	This 1921 magazine also noted “only 61% of the employees of the B. G. E. Company live in wired homes.”	+	This 1921 magazine also noted “only 61% of the employees of the B. G. E. Company live in wired homes.”<sup>ii</sup>
−	&nbsp;[[Image:11-158 Gas Streetlight cropped.GIF|thumb|center|120x140px|Gas Streelight]]In 1923 Buffalo General Electric started a project in Buffalo of installing electric streetlights to replace 10,000 gaslights like the one shown here with a two-piece cast iron standard.&nbsp; [[Image:11-159 Electric Streelight cropped.GIF|thumb|center|120x140px|Electric Streelight]]While many of the cast iron gas standards were converted to electric streetlights, most were replaced with this type standard.	+	&nbsp;[[Image:11-158 Gas Streetlight cropped.GIF|thumb|center|120x140px|Gas Streelight]]In 1923 Buffalo General Electric started a project in Buffalo of installing electric streetlights to replace 10,000 gaslights like the one shown here with a two-piece cast iron standard.<sup>iii</sup>&nbsp; [[Image:11-159 Electric Streelight cropped.GIF|thumb|center|120x140px|Electric Streelight]]While many of the cast iron gas standards were converted to electric streetlights, most were replaced with this type standard.
−	[[Image:11-160 map of source stations cropped.GIF|thumb|left|150x200px|Map of Source Stations (from top to bottom:  Huntley Station and Terminal Station C, Terminal House A, Terminal House B)]]Note that all the power supplied to the City of Buffalo was from facilities located in the northwest sector of the City. This required a very extensive 11,000-V and 22,000-V cable system to distribute power to the distribution stations and customers scattered around the City. [[Image:11-161 Terminal Station D.GIF|thumb|right|100x75px]]To supplement these sources, 60,000-V to 22,000-V Terminal Station D was built on Bailey Avenue south of William and placed in service July 1926. A double-circuit 60,000-V overhead transmission line from Terminal Station C supplied Terminal Station D. 22,000-V cables were installed to pickup [[Image:11-162 Station 16.GIF|thumb|right|100x75px]]substations and customers in the southeast section of the City.&nbsp;	+	[[Image:11-160 map of source stations cropped.GIF|thumb|left|150x200px|Map of Source Stations (from top to bottom:  Huntley Station and Terminal Station C, Terminal House A, Terminal House B)]]Note that all the power supplied to the City of Buffalo was from facilities located in the northwest sector of the City. This required a very extensive 11,000-V and 22,000-V cable system to distribute power to the distribution stations and customers scattered around the City. [[Image:11-161 Terminal Station D.GIF|thumb|right|100x75px]]To supplement these sources, 60,000-V to 22,000-V Terminal Station D was built on Bailey Avenue south of William and placed in service July 1926. A double-circuit 60,000-V overhead transmission line from Terminal Station C supplied Terminal Station D. 22,000-V cables were installed to pickup [[Image:11-162 Station 16.GIF|thumb|right|100x75px]]substations and customers in the southeast section of the City.<sup>iv</sup>&nbsp;
	The following substations were built for 22,000 V:&nbsp;		The following substations were built for 22,000 V:&nbsp;
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	Not all businesses were sold on central station electric service.		Not all businesses were sold on central station electric service.
−	&nbsp;[[Image:12-167 Ellicott Sq. Bldg.GIF|thumb|center|Ellicott Square Building]]For example I was told the Ellicott Square building generated electricity in the winter when they operated steam boilers for heating, and purchased electricity from Buffalo General Electric in the summer.	+	&nbsp;[[Image:12-167 Ellicott Sq. Bldg.GIF|thumb|center|Ellicott Square Building]]For example I was told the Ellicott Square building generated electricity in the winter when they operated steam boilers for heating, and purchased electricity from Buffalo General Electric in the summer.<sup>v</sup>
−	[[Image:12-168 Larkin Co cropped.GIF|thumb|left|Larkin Co.]]The Larkin Company did not stop generating electricity until 1930.	+	[[Image:12-168 Larkin Co cropped.GIF|thumb|left|Larkin Co.]]The Larkin Company did not stop generating electricity until 1930.<sup>vi</sup>
−	[[Image:12-169 Hotel Statler.GIF|thumb|right]]Hotel Statler, which was built in 1923, used reciprocating steam engine driven ammonia compressors for air conditioning and making ice until about 1970. This required the hotel to operate steam boilers year round.	+	[[Image:12-169 Hotel Statler.GIF|thumb|right]]Hotel Statler, which was built in 1923, used reciprocating steam engine driven ammonia compressors for air conditioning and making ice until about 1970. This required the hotel to operate steam boilers year round.<sup>vii</sup>
−	[[Image:12-170 Col. Ward Pumping Sta.GIF|thumb|left]]The City of Buffalo’s Col. Ward Pumping Station at the foot of Porter Avenue kept these huge steam pumps in reserve until about 1970. Electric pumps are in the foreground.	+	[[Image:12-170 Col. Ward Pumping Sta.GIF|thumb|left]]The City of Buffalo’s Col. Ward Pumping Station at the foot of Porter Avenue kept these huge steam pumps in reserve until about 1970. Electric pumps are in the foreground.<sup>viii</sup>
		+
		+	== References<br> ==
		+
		+	i. H. B. Alverson, “Our Systems of Distribution,” ''The Welder'', Published by the Employees of the Buffalo General Electric Company, 1 No. 8 (1921):12.
		+
		+	ii. “Is Your Home Wired?” ''The Welder'', Published by the Employees of the Buffalo General Electric Company, 1, No 8, (1921):27.
		+
		+	iii. Adams, ''Niagara Power'', 2:292.
		+
		+	iv. “Happenings” (An Annual Log from the Electric Operations Department, Buffalo General Electric Company, 1926, photocopy).
		+
		+	v. Related to the author by George Adams, NMP T&amp;D engineer, ca. 1961.
		+
		+	vi. “Larkin Company Now Uses Niagara Power,” ''Power Events'', Published by Buffalo, Niagara &amp; Eastern Power Corporation, 5, No 2 (1930): 8.
		+
		+	vii. Author’s recollection from personal observation during work as NMP Underground Engineer.
		+
		+	viii. Author’s recollection from personal observation during work as NMP Underground Engineer.<br><br>

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Revision as of 19:49, 22 September 2008

An October 1921 Buffalo General Electric magazine called ‘The Welder’ showed the availability of electric service with 25-Hz service for power generally available in all parts of the City and other types of service as follows:ⁱ

1. 25-Hz service for lighting largely confined to the northern half of the City.

2. 62 ½-Hz service for lighting and small power available in the southeast section of the City.

3. Edison System direct current at 110/220 volts available in the downtown business district.

4. Direct current at 500 volts available for power principally for elevators.

This 1921 magazine also noted “only 61% of the employees of the B. G. E. Company live in wired homes.”ⁱⁱ

 In 1923 Buffalo General Electric started a project in Buffalo of installing electric streetlights to replace 10,000 gaslights like the one shown here with a two-piece cast iron standard.ⁱⁱⁱ  While many of the cast iron gas standards were converted to electric streetlights, most were replaced with this type standard. Note that all the power supplied to the City of Buffalo was from facilities located in the northwest sector of the City. This required a very extensive 11,000-V and 22,000-V cable system to distribute power to the distribution stations and customers scattered around the City. To supplement these sources, 60,000-V to 22,000-V Terminal Station D was built on Bailey Avenue south of William and placed in service July 1926. A double-circuit 60,000-V overhead transmission line from Terminal Station C supplied Terminal Station D. 22,000-V cables were installed to pickup substations and customers in the southeast section of the City.^iv 

The following substations were built for 22,000 V: 

No. 16 on Main north of Hertel  No. 17 on Ohio & Childs 

No. 18 on Sumner & West Shore 

No. 19 on Lee & Prenatt

No. 20 on Kenmore north of Vulcan. Synchronous condensers for power factor correction were installed in several stations. A synchronous condenser is a synchronous motor running at no load with the field adjusted so the armature takes a leading current. 

Not all businesses were sold on central station electric service.

 For example I was told the Ellicott Square building generated electricity in the winter when they operated steam boilers for heating, and purchased electricity from Buffalo General Electric in the summer.^v The Larkin Company did not stop generating electricity until 1930.^vi Hotel Statler, which was built in 1923, used reciprocating steam engine driven ammonia compressors for air conditioning and making ice until about 1970. This required the hotel to operate steam boilers year round.^vii The City of Buffalo’s Col. Ward Pumping Station at the foot of Porter Avenue kept these huge steam pumps in reserve until about 1970. Electric pumps are in the foreground.^viii

References

i. H. B. Alverson, “Our Systems of Distribution,” The Welder, Published by the Employees of the Buffalo General Electric Company, 1 No. 8 (1921):12.

ii. “Is Your Home Wired?” The Welder, Published by the Employees of the Buffalo General Electric Company, 1, No 8, (1921):27.

iii. Adams, Niagara Power, 2:292.

iv. “Happenings” (An Annual Log from the Electric Operations Department, Buffalo General Electric Company, 1926, photocopy).

v. Related to the author by George Adams, NMP T&D engineer, ca. 1961.

vi. “Larkin Company Now Uses Niagara Power,” Power Events, Published by Buffalo, Niagara & Eastern Power Corporation, 5, No 2 (1930): 8.

vii. Author’s recollection from personal observation during work as NMP Underground Engineer.

viii. Author’s recollection from personal observation during work as NMP Underground Engineer.