MUNICIPAL POWER PLANT.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 January 1920, Page 4

MUNICIPAL POWER PLANT.

WINNIPEG’S SUCCESS. Winnipeg, the enterprising capital of the Province of Manitoba, Canada, has been, justifiably called the “Marvel City.” Forty years an almost nameless and certainly unpretentious array of wooden shacks, Winnipeg to-day is a permanent testimony to the progressive and aggressive spirit which animated her early settlers. A record of steady, solid and consist-

ent advancement has marked the progress of this city, whose name, as the gateway to the boundless and infinitely rich prairie lands which roll away westward and yield phenomenal supplies of the golden grain which has made Canada famous, is heralded throughout the civilised world as indelibly associated With commercial, industrial and civic

activity. By a remarkable order of things the spirit that animated the early settlers of this city is to-day the outstanding characteristic of the present citizens. Business men in Winnipeg are credited with having a peculiar ‘•‘snap” and being endowed with faculty of arriving at quick and successful decisions. In municipal affairs the same desirable qualities are to be found, and in very many ways the solid and successful city of Winnipeg is an example to cities on the American continent approaching the million mark.

Imbued with the feeling that Winnipeg is destined to be one of the big centres of the future, the municipality cast about for ways and means of attracting manufacturers and others to the opportunities presented by this city. On the basis that factories and big payrolls go” hand-in-hand with progress they set about devising a scheme for providing the city with an immense plant by which cheap power and light would be distributed to the local customers. WINNIPEG’S MAMMOTH UNDER- * TAKING.

The Winnipeg City Council’s mammoth undertaking commenced to. supply late in 1911, since which time the undertaking has a record of continuous progress. The plant is a liydro-electric one, the water power of the Winnipeg river being utilised. The generating station is situated at Point du Bois, distant 80 miles from the city. Actual design was commenced iu 1906, and it was originally planned to complete the work in 1909, but unforseen difficulties were encountered ,and the

impossibility of mai'keting bonds iu 1907, the year of the financial depression, caused over a year’s delay in tho completing of Winnipeg’s'own power plant. It was in October, 1911, that the plant was sufficiently completed to supply Winnipeg with current generated eighty miles away on the city s own plant. In the first year approximately 14,600 consumers availed themselves of the extremely low rates and were connected with tho system, and it is conservatively estimated that over $80,000,000 less was paid for electrical energy by com sumers in that year than would Lave been paid under the rates existing in 1911 just prior to the commencement of the city’s plant The second year’s results of operation showed a net gain of 11,000 consumers, making approximately 26,000 active consumers patronising the system of its second anniversary. Since that time the undertaking has enjoyed a record of continual progress and success. The lighting rate, which has been reduced in 1907 from 20 cents .to 1C cents per k.w.li., was further reduced to 3 1-3 per k.w.h., which over 38,000 consumers now enjoy.

CHEAPEST POWER IN NORTH AMERICA. The rate to~ manufacturers is as low as half a cent per k.w.h., the lowest rate in North America. The plant is now developing 47,000 h.p,, with an ultimate capacity of

100,000 h.p: ' _ That the municipal electricity undertaking is a plant of vigorous growth may be gathered'from the recent annual report for the year ending April, 1919. The balance sheet shows assets of ten million dollars while the properties account indicates an investment of over eight million dollars, this amount being i six hundred thousand dollars greater than' the debenture debt. This means, of course, that the profits earned by the plant are being invested” iir capital extensions. The significant feature of the balance sheet is the large accumulation of reserves which now approximate two million dollars, being three times the amount required for sinking fund levies which take care of the redemption of the debenture debt.

For tlie last fiscal year the earnings totalled $109,719,699, while the total expenses were $100,431,599 leaving a surplus for the year of $5,288,100. Two-thirds of the total expanses are accounted for by fixed charges. The surplus carried forward to the next year totalled '510,426,200. It is interesting to note in connection with this surplus that two years ago the plant appropriated a quarter of a million dollars from this revenue surplus and applied it to the reduction of the capital debt. Winnipeg’s fortunate venture into the field of hydro-electric development has brought forcibly to the minds of the citizens the economic possibilities of the Winnipeg river. This river, whose entire course lies within one liundred miles of the city, provides seven or eight power sites, all of whose total horse-power exceeds half million, an amount considerably in excess of the total requirements of the city of Chicago. EQUAL TO COAL $1.25. These water-power sites are not only in close proximity in Winnipeg, but are all capable of development at a eost which is unusually low. This means tliat coal would have to sell in Winnipeg for $1.25 per ton in order to compete with this hydro-electric supply on an equal basis* This fortunate power situation on the Winnipeg river cannot bo duplicated anywhere on this continent.

-\Vith an alacrity that was altogether justifiable, and highly appreciative of the facilities placed at their disposal by the cheap electric power provided by tho city of Winnipeg, manufacturers commenced to turn itheir attention to this city, possessed, as it undoubtedly is, of a magnificent ingress to tho wealthy territory that stretches away for nearly two thousand miles, as far

as the Pacific seaboard. Steady and most satisfactory has been the development of this centre as a manufacturing city, and the following figures bear ample witness to the fact The growth of Winnipeg, now possessing, a population exceeding 270,000, has been considered to be unequalled in the world’s history. Standing in tlie very path of travel to and from the West, Winnipeg has from the very first taken heavy toll of that which passed through her gates. Iler population has been added to in chunks, instead of by the slow progress of accretion recorded in less fortunately endowed cities. The

Winnipeg of to-day is a promise of the Winnipeg of to-morroiv. Her foundations are firmly placed upon the following substantial basis for future growth: 1. Unexcelled geographical situation, giving the city a dominating influence over tho whole field of Western Canada and which has already won for her the enviable reputation of the greatest distributing centre in Canada. 2. Unsurpassed railway facilities. Tho centre of "twenty-seven railway lines radiating in all directions. The seat of the world’s largest individual railway yards and with greater industrial trackage than any other city in Can-

ada. . 3. The world’s largest gram market, and the largest bank-clearing centre in the West.

4. The centre of abundant raw materials for manufacturing* purposes. 5. Abundant supply of pure, soft water, the most desirable, natural water-supply to be found on the continent and particularly adaptable to manufacturing establishments where soft water is required and for which Winnipeg has abundant rarv materials. 6. An abundant supply of power on tlie Winnipeg river, within 100 miles, already extensively developed and enabling the city to supply the lowest power-rate in America and with sufficient power available to supply the needs of a population of from 1,500,000 to 2,500,000 persons to provide direct employment for from 150,000 to 200,000 Workers and to turn out a product worth in the neighbourhood of .$1,000,000,000 every year.