Water and Power Associates Informing the Public about Critical Water and Energy Issues facing Los Angeles and California

In 1831, Michael Faraday devised a machine that generated electricity from rotary motion, but it took almost 50 years for the technology to reach a commercially viable stage. In 1878, in the US, Thomas Edison developed and sold a commercially viable replacement for gas lighting and heating using locally generated and distributed direct current electricity.

The Edison plant supplied its light through incandescent lamps. In 1882, a similar kind of lighting, in an improved form, was proposed for Los Angeles by Charles L. Howland, initially representing a San Francisco based company, the California Electric Light Company (now PG&E). Howland would within a year incorporate with other investors and form his own company, Los Angeles Electric Company. This would become LA's first electric utility.

On September 11, 1882 the Los Angeles City Council unanimously voted to enter into a contract with Howland to “illuminate the streets of the city with electric light.” The contract called for Howland, at his own expense, to install seven 150-foot-high masts each carrying three electric lamps and to provide the distribution poles, lines, and the electrical energy needed to light them.

Howland set quickly to work. He had received a deadline of December 1, 1882 to have the masts erected and electricity on. By October 25, he had purchased a lot on the corner of Alameda and Banning Streets where he proceeded to put up a brick building, 50 by 80 feet, to house the boilers, engines and the 30kw, 9.6 ampere “Brush” arc lighting equipment for supplying the electric energy. Three weeks later, by November 16, the masts were in place and soon afterwards the pole lines and wires were strung along the streets leading to the masts.

The project was considered so successful that before the expiration of Holland’s two year contract, he and others had formed the Los Angeles Electric Company, which besides serving streetlights, supplied arc lights for commercial establishments. That company would later evolve into the LA Gas and Electric Corporation.

Historical Notes

It should be noted that in addition to providing power for electric street lights, the early power plants mainly provided electricity for the new electric railways that were proliferating throughout the Southland.

Charles H. Howland also chartered the first electric streetcar company in Los Angeles, LA Electric Railroad Company, on September 11, 1886.  It began operations on January 4, 1887 with the line opening from Pico Boulevard and Main Street traveling west to Harvard Boulevard.  In 1896, many of the major horse and cable cars operating in Los Angeles converted to electrical power.**^

Historical Notes

In 1896, West Side Lighting Company was organized by private investors to provide another source of electricity for the city of Los Angeles and fringe areas. Their first large Power Plant was built on the northwest corner of 2nd and Boylsten streets.

Historical Notes

One of the first power plants in Los Angeles, located on the northwest corner of 2nd and Boylston streets, has a rich history. Built in 1885 by the Los Angeles Improvement Company, the plant initially served the Second Street Cable Railway. However, after the railway ceased operations a few years later, the plant sat idle until 1896. That year, the West Side Lighting Company, organized by private investors to provide additional electricity to the city and surrounding areas, purchased the plant. They scrapped the cable winding machinery and installed generators.

In 1897, West Side Lighting merged with the newly established Los Angeles Edison Electric, adopting the Edison name and patents, especially the underground DC-power rights. The merged company took on the Edison name. An underground system and technology were crucial at that time, as the city had passed a resolution limiting the installation of new overhead utility poles due to excessive wire congestion. Los Angeles Edison Electric installed the first major DC-power underground conduits system in the Southwest.

By 1939, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) had become the sole power service provider for the city. Today, LADWP maintains a facility at this historic site.

Historical Notes

Between 1897 and 1906 the power house was in use as Edison Electric Company Steam Plant No. 1. This was Edison's first power plant located in the City of Los Angeles.

Historical Notes

At the time of this photo the brick building at the corner of 2nd and Boylston streets, once part of Edison Electric Steam Plant No. 1, was no longer being used as a power plant. It now was serving as an Edison Electrical Sub-Station.

In 1909, Los Angeles Edsion Electric changed its name to Southern California Edison (SCE).

Historical Notes

Over the years the Boylston facility has been used by the West Side Lighting Company, Los Angeles Edison Electric, Southern California Edison, and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, which has occupied the site since 1940.

Click HERE to see more in Early Boylston Street Yard.

Historical Notes

This was Pacific Light and Power Company's first power plant. SCE would purchase Pacific Light and Power in 1917. In 1946 SCE constructed a new power plant at the same site. Today, a modified version of this new plant is owned and operated by AES.*

In 1909 the Bureau of Los Angeles Aqueduct Power was created to build hydroelectric power plants along the Los Angeles Aqueduct. When Los Angeles acquired water rights in the Owens Valley section of Inyo County to construct the LA Aqueduct, it also obtained water-power sites along the way.

Ezra F. Scattergood was selected as the Bureau’s first chief electrical engineer. Scattergood led the way in the development of hydroelectric power along the route of the aqueduct and became Mulholland’s counterpart for the Power System.

Historical Notes

Construction of he San Francisquito Power Plant No. 1 began in 1911 at the same time the LA Aqueduct was being built (1907-1913).*

Historical Notes

To drive the turbine-generators, water from the Aqueduct falls 940 feet down the steep side of San Francisquito Canyon, and plays on the water wheel that turns the generator through 14-inch nozzles.*

Historical Notes

On March 18, 1917 the San Francisquito Power Plant No. 1, Unit 1 was placed in service and energy was delivered to Los Angeles over a newly constructed 115 kV transmission line. The 200 kilowatts generated by Unit 1 were the first commercial kilowatts generated by the Los Angeles Bureau of Power and Light (Click HERE to see more in Early Power Transmission).

Subsequently on April 28 and April 16, 1917, Units 2 and 3 respectively were placed in operation.

The LA Bureau of Power and Light now had a source of low cost electricity and more than enough power to meet the City's needs.  It would sell its excess San Francisquito generated power to Pasadena over two newly constructed 34 kV lines between the two cities. By 1917, World War I had forced the price of fuel oil to rise making the new lower cost hydroelectric power extremely desirable.^

Historical Notes

Built in 1917 and beginning operation on Dec 22 of that year, the reinforced concrete building was erected by the Bureau of Power and Light, located in Studio City near the corner of Diaz Avenue and Ventura Blvd along the Los Angeles River. The plant cost $120,000 and created 4000 watts of electrical energy. In 1937, Diaz Ave was renamed Coldwater Canyon Ave. 

Historical Notes

Water was channeled to the Los Angeles River and sent to the Buena Vista pumping plant in Elysian Park. From Elysian Park, the water could be sent to either east Los Angeles or to the Franklin Canyon Reservoir and then into the west side water system.**

(ca. 1928)* - Exterior view of the LA Gas and Electric Corporation Steam Plant with its prominent smokestack, in Seal Beach. The plant was built in 1925 at a cost of nearly $14 million.

Historical Notes

In 1936, DWP bought the LA Gas and Electric Corporation and in 1937 assumed ownership of the Seal Beach steam plant.

Historical Notes

Built in 1924 for the former Los Angeles Gas & Electric Corporation, on a 14 acre tract near Ocean Ave and First Street, the Seal Beach Steam Generating Plant was acquired, along with the Alameda Steam Generating Plant, by the Department when it purchased the electric system of the Los Angeles Gas and Electric and took possession of the properties February 1, 1937. The Alameda Street plant was retired from service by Board resolution in 1951. The combined capacity of the two generators at the Seal Beach plant was 75,000 kilowatts.*^

Historical Notes

The original smokestack was damaged during the 1933 Long Beach Earthquake and replaced with a much shorter one as seen above. The Stanton House stands across from the plant on the right. The Seal Beach plant was taken out of service and demolished in 1967.^^

Historical Notes

The Alameda Steam Generating Plant was acquired, along with the Seal Beach Steam Generating Plant, by the Department when it purchased the electric system of the Los Angeles Gas and Electric and took possession of the properties February 1, 1937. The Alameda Street plant was retired from service by Board resolution in 1951.*

Background

Hoover Dam was constructed between 1931 and 1936 during the Great Depression. Its main purpose was to harness the Colorado River to prevent periodic catastrophic flooding, to allocate and distribute water, and to generate hydroelectricity for the Southwest. Even by today's standards Hoover Dam was a gigantic project. At the time it was the world's largest project made with concrete, not to mention the largest public works project in US history.

The dam's completion had a significant impact on Southern California and in particular Los Angeles, since the power generated by the dam contributed to more than 70% of the City's power needs at the time.

Historical Notes

Forty-four thousand tons of steel were formed and welded into 14,800 feet of pipe varying from 8 1/2 to 30 feet in diameter. Each length of the largest pipe - 12 feet long, 30 feet in diameter, and 2 3/4 inches thick - was made from 3 steel plates, of such weight that only two plates could be shipped from the steel mill to the fabricating plant on one railroad car. Two such lengths of pipe welded together make one section weighing approximately 135 tons or, at intersections with the penstocks, as much as 186 tons.

Historical Notes

A total of 3,250,000 cubic yards of concrete was used in the dam before concrete pouring ceased on May 29, 1935. In addition, 1,110,000 cubic yards were used in the power plant and other works. More than 582 miles of cooling pipes were placed within the concrete. Overall, there is enough concrete in the dam to pave a two-lane highway from San Francisco to New York.^

Historical Notes

Hoover Dam, one of the world’s outstanding engineering achievements, was selected by the American Society of Civil Engineers in 1955 as one of America’s seven modern civil engineering wonders. Majestic in its clean graceful lines, the dam stands with one shoulder against the Nevada wall and the other against the Arizona wall of Black Canyon, harnessing the Colorado River.^

Historical Notes

On September 30, 1935, less than 5 years after construction started, President Franklin D. Roosevelt said in dedication ceremonies at Hoover Dam: “This is an engineering victory of the first order – another great achievement of American resourcefulness, skill and determination. This is why I congratulate you who have created Boulder Dam and on behalf of the Nation say to you, ‘well done’.” ^##

In 1920, Ezra Scattergood pushed for a bill authorizing the construction of the Boulder Canyon Project (Hoover Dam). Despite attempts to discredit the project, Scattergood helped convince Congress in 1928 to pass the legislation and allow construction of the dam and a hydroelectric power plant.^#

Historical Notes

The powerplant consists of 17 main Francis turbine generators and two Pelton Waterwheel station service units (one for each plant wing). The total plant capacity is 2,079 MW.

Historical Notes

Sixteen high-voltage transmission lines connect Hoover Dam with its power market area.  Two lines terminate at Los Angeles, a distance of 266 miles.  A third line extends to Los Angeles via the McCullough Switching Station, where the energy is stepped up to 500,000 volts.  One line extends to San Bernardino, California.  Three lines extend to Las Vegas, Nevada.  One of the latter connects with the Davis Dam transmission system.  Other lines extend to Kingman, Arizona; Needles, California and nearby Boulder City.

In total, there are 2700 miles of transmission line cable sending electricity from Hoover Dam to Los Angeles.

Click HERE to see more in Early Power Transmission.

Historical Notes

On October 9, 1936, the switch was thrown and electricity generated at the new Hoover Dam arrived in Los Angeles.   Los Angeles threw a big party.  The “Light on Parade” proceeded down Broadway, nicknamed “the Canyon of Lights.”

Historical Notes

Construction of the plant was started early in 1932 and a few months later was halted by injuction proceedings. The Bureau was successful in establishing its right to build the plant and the injuction was dissolved, but later in the year an agreement was entered into for purchase of necessary energy and the steam plant construction program was postponed in favor of concentrating the Bureau’s efforts upon development and utilization of Boulder Dam power.*^

Historical Notes

Completing an eight-year construction program that was started in April of 1941, suspended through the war years and delayed through many months of the postwar period by scarcity of materials, equipment and manpower, Unit No. 5 at the Department’s Harbor Steam Plant was placed in service and synchronized to the system on the afternoon of July 5, 1949.*^

Historical Notes

The 1950s saw such a rapid growth in the San Fernando Valley that it forced the Department of Water and Power to construct one of the largest steam plants in the country, located in Sun Valley.

Notes

Water is heated in huge boilers to make steam, which spins the turbine to turn the generator.  After the steam has performed its task, it goes to a condenser where it is cooled and converted back into water to continue the never-ending cycle.  The electricity goes to transformers, which increase the voltage, and then to transmission lines, receiving and distributing stations and finally to the customer.*^

City and business officials dedicate the new Valley Steam Plant at 11805 Sheldon Street on May 18, 1957.

Historical Notes

Commercial operation of the Department’s huge new Scattergood Steam Plant began on December 7, 1958 with the synchronizing of unit No. 1 to the Power System, following a series of shakedown test runs. The powerful turbine-generator has a capability of 160,000 kilowatts when operating at capacity.*^

Scattergood Steam Plant was formally dedicated on September 10, 1959. Click HERE to see Dedication Program.

Historical Notes

The Intermountain Generating Station is the central component of Intermountain Power Project (IPP), a $4.5 billion project to supply electricity to Southern California and other markets. It is located near Lynndyl, Millard County, Utah.

Historical Notes

The plant was built in the remote part of west-central Utah, in the Sevier Desert, and is connected directly to the edge of Los Angeles by a 490 mile long high voltage DC line. The massive coal-fired power plant produces over 1,800 megawatts of power, and is supplied by coal mines in central and eastern Utah.

Historical Notes

One of Utah's largest coal-fired power plants — the Intermountain Power Project outside Delta — will cease operations by 2025.

Due to a law passed in 2006 by the California legislature which forbid any new contracts for coal-fired power from any utility or municipality, the owners decided to repower the facility to burn natural gas.

While electricity will no longer flow from heating coal, IPP participants are moving ahead with plans to develop new natural gas-fueled electricity generation at the site. The new project will bring on 1,200 megawatts of new natural gas-fueled electricity, compared with the 1,800 megawatts of installed capacity from coal-fired generation.^

Historical Notes

Intermountain Power Project is connected directly to the edge of Los Angeles via a 490 mile long high voltage DC line.

The three main components of the Intermountain Power Project are located primarily in Utah and California. The Generation Station is located near Lynndyl, Millard County, Utah. The Southern Transmission System ( the "STS" extends approximately 490 miles from the Generation Station to Adelanto, California with an alternating current/direct current converter station at each end. The Northern Transmission System (the “NTS”) consists of two segments. The first segment, consisting of two parallel 345-kV AC transmission lines, extends approximately 50 miles from the Generation Station to a switchyard located near Mona, Utah. The second segment, consisting of a single 230-kV AC transmission line, extends approximately 144 miles from the Generation Station to the Gonder Switchyard located eight miles north of Ely, Nevada.

Historical Notes

James H. Anthony was Project Director of IPP from 1973 to 1989 and the motivating force behind the successful design and construction of the Project. A plaque in his honor was placed in the foyer of the IPSC Administration Building.

Historical Notes

The power plant consists of two units each with a generation capacity of 950 MW. Generating units are equipped with General Electric tandem compound steam turbines and Babcock & Wilcox subcritical boilers. The boiler houses of Intermountain Power Project are 301.0 feet and the flue gas stack is 701.0 feet tall. The HVDC Intermountain transmission line runs between Intermountain Generating Station and Adelanto Converter Station in Adelanto, California.

Historical Notes

The Intermountain Power Agency, located in Utah, is a power generating cooperative of 23 municipalities in Utah and 6 in California. It owns the Intermountain Power Project near Delta, Utah, one of the largest coal-fired power plants in the United States. About 75 percent of the generated power is purchased by cities in Southern California and the remainder is purchased by cities, cooperatives and Pacificorp in Utah and a cooperative in Nevada. The IPA also runs transmission lines to Mona, Utah, to Adelanto Converter Station in Adelanto, California and near Ely, Nevada.

Historical Notes

In 2013, the Los Angeles City Council approved a plan to convert the facility from coal to natural gas by 2025, at an estimated cost of $500 million.

Historical Notes

In 1963, Los Angeles officials proposed building a San Onofre-style atomic generating plant in Corral Canyon as a solution to the fast-growing city's need for more electricity. The atomic plant would be tucked between hillsides at the bottom of a deep ravine. Seawater pumped from pipes buried under Pacific Coast Highway and the beach and extending half a mile into the ocean would cool the reactor.*

Historical Notes

DWP engineers viewed nuclear power as the perfect solution to a looming electricity shortage. The Corral Canyon plant would be larger than any atomic plant in existence and would have the capacity to generate about 20 percent of the power for every home, office and factory in Los Angeles, the agency predicted.

Unlike oil- and coal-powered generating stations, the atomic plant would be pollution-free and would not contribute to the smog that was blanketing Los Angeles almost daily.

Corral Canyon’s isolation was another plus.

The atomic plant would be tucked between hillsides at the bottom of a deep ravine. Seawater pumped from pipes buried under Pacific Coast Highway and the beach and extending half a mile into the ocean would cool the reactor.

The plant’s electricity would be carried into Los Angeles by a line of steel transmission towers constructed across the Santa Monica Mountains through Calabasas and connected to the DWP’s existing electric grid in the San Fernando Valley.

The deal sounded sweet to Los Angeles officials for other reasons as well.

The federal Atomic Energy Commission was willing to classify the Corral Canyon reactor as a nuclear power demonstration project. As such, the commission would pay up to $8 million for the design of the plant and would waive fuel-use charges of up to another $8.2 million.

City officials thought at first that the atomic plant plan would sail through federal and local reviews. In 1963, they entered into a tentative agreement with the Westinghouse Corp. to buy the generating equipment. The Atomic Energy Commission named a Boston company to design and build the reactor. Officials announced that the plant would be completed by 1967.

But the proposal quickly caused a furor in Malibu, helping galvanize a fledgling environmental movement, leading to the creation of a vast network of public parkland and land-development restrictions throughout the Santa Monica Mountains — including Corral Canyon.

Malibu celebrities joined in public hearings conducted by Los Angeles County to complain that the coastal area was seismically active.

In 1970, after six years of debate and dozens of conflicting geology reports over the canyon’s safety, the city quietly dropped an option to buy nearly $100 million worth of equipment that would have launched the first 490,000-kilowatt phase of the atomic plant project.*

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