Show DR R H T PLUMBS PLUMB'S REPORT O J PROPOSES PROPOSED LIGHT PLANT FOR BOUr BOUNTIFUL CITY t rA Aa AR an nn electric light and power plant nt is hi highly technical and es- es es especially when a generating plant ia Included and further complicated ed when mysterious bonds have ha to tobe tobe tobe be issued d the council decided to employ an expert in this line Jine so the ices services cn ces tf bf Jjr Dr II H T Plumb was secured Mr Plumb is an acknowledged acknowledged acknowledged ledged electrical en- en engineer en engineer ineer His report follows DR DR IL H II T PLU PLUMBS PLUMB'S I S 'S REPORT ImpORT REPORT ON DIESEL POWER PLANT FOR CITY OF BOUNTIFUL Presented at council meeting in City Hall HaU Bountiful Utah 8 S p m mJune Ju June 19 1934 by II H T Plumb consulting con- con engineer TO TIlE THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND COUNCILMEN OF BOUNTIFUl men Gentlemen May 24 your our committee consist consist- consisting consisting consisting ing of Mr Rampton Mr Ill Burns Burn and Mr Graham called on me and re- re requested requested re requested quested that I prepare an engineer engineer- engineering in ing report on a Diesel power plant sufficient for handling the distributIon distribution distribution tion system now being served by bythe bythe the Bountiful Light Power Com Com- Company Company pany They requested that I pa pay special attention to the power sta- sta staI station station tion sta-tion I tion without going into details of the distribution system They ask ask- asked asked ask I ed that I secure information on too the present loads the amount of power bein being purchased and dis- dis distributed dis distributed customers served etcetera etcetera etcetera tera from the reports of the com com- companY company company pany to the State com com- commission commission commission mission from the Utah Power Power Power Company and from an any other source where it could be se- se se cured About a week later I was handed a copy of a report by Mr Todd with the request that it also be 00 discussed During the last three weeks week I Inave nave have spent all available time in- in including eluding nights and Sundays in se- se se securing curing accurate information on which to base this report I care care- carefully carefully fully care fully analyzed and tabulated the of the Bountiful Light t 5 Company Compan and of other comI com com- panics in this state which I are now purchasing power from the Utah Company also the operating re- re results re results from about eighty Diesel plants of similar capacity Up-to- Up date prices were secured on all items entering into a modern Diesel station and with these an estimate was prepared of what Such sucha a plant will cost Before working out the details ol of a suitable power station it was necessary arY to determine the past present and md probable future load demands of this community This was done with considerable accuracy acy Cr and the results are dependable IN GENERAL In trying to decide what is best to do d about your municipal power situation I presume you are ask ask- asking ing yourselves questions somewhat like the following 1 Is our present power supply the best available 2 Is it dependable 3 Is it constant and In voltage e 4 Is it sufficient in amount 5 Is our present cost of power the minimum possible for the citizens of Bountiful G How Irow do our rates compare with rates of similar places 7 Would it be he advantageous for forthe the City of Bountiful to own its 1 own wn distribution system em 8 Would a municipal plant help the residents of Bountiful I 9 P Should Bountiful go into the power business with all the responsibilities of or owning a power plant I and nd distribution system 10 Should we build a plant or should hould we purchase power from the public utility 1 l II Jl Should we attempt to serve other communities 2 I l If II correct answers to such ques ques- questions question tion willbe can be secured then you will wille be in better position to act on Mr Todds Todd's proposal Your own wishes and motives should be carefully analyzed Above all your citizens should hould be consulted Their advice should hould be he secured Addition of oC so soar large ar e an amount to the city's financial fin fin- fin financial ancial responsibility at this time Js Is a real problem which should re- re re receive every possible consideration before Defore decision is finally made If Mr 11 Todd should enable your citizens to secure as reliable power as the they now have for less than they now pay he will have done you a great service On the other hand if you gentle gentle- gentlemen gentlemen men n build a power plant which is unsatisfactory or inadequate for this growing community or if it proves to be a white hite elephant of expense which increases the cost COlt of electric service then you will have have- done one your citizens a great greatS cl S injustice y The true facts in such problems Scan can be learned in advance ad thru modern en engineering methods The hazards of guessing can be reduced to safe limits In such matters it pays to go slow to proceed one step at a time cautiously to con con- consult consult consult sult many sources of information and nd not to depend too much on anyone any one to learn precisely what has been the the- experience of other communities un under er similar condi condi- conditions conditions conditions Haste makes waste Always it is possible to go o ahead but difficult difficult difficult cult to go back Most 1 of you must I have found this thiR true in your per per- personal personal personal affairs during recent times II If this depression time requires caution in private affairs it de- de demands de demands mands great greater r caution in public affairs Estimates in this report are as reliable and conservative as pos pos- pos pos- possible possible possible sible In this data I have sou sought ht true facts There is no influence or bias in my pre pre- presentation pre presentation The Th constants used have come from real station rec- rec records records rec records of plants comparable in size and load An isolated plant of this type must of necessity be very reliable Good independent service demands excessive excessive first cost Therefore the overhead costs of isolated plants are greater than the operating costs Due to its rich soil ideal climate ma magnificent scenery with auto auto- automobiles automobiles mobiles and better roads Bountiful is i the finest finet residence suburb of Salt Lake City I prophecy that its population will increase more in inthe inthe inthe the next ten years than during the past ten years ears The fact that pow pow- power power power er consumption in this territory never has failed to increase since I the Bountiful Light Power Co started business is a very strong indication of healthy growth Not only will power consumption NotI in- in increase increase in increase I crease in this vicinity due to great great- reat j greater er population but naturally there will be growth in power demand because present users will increase the their l use I DIESEL ENGINES IN GENERAL ADVANTAGES Reliability Low operating costs for fuel Their economy is high especially on intermittent service Quick starting and very conven conven- convenient convenient Small space and less expense for building More suitable for reserve or in- in intermittent intermittent in intermittent power I Easier to install than a steam I plant Suitable for automatic control Can be made independent of a large water supply DISADVANTAGES High first cost Therefore inter inter- interest interest interest est depreciation and other capital charges usually are as much as all other operating costs combined No overload capacity Generators have considerable overload capa capa- capacity capa- capa capacity capacity city and md can carry peaks without much difficulty Not so with Diesel engines They handle overloads only with danger to the engine To successfully swing p loads ak-loads ak they should be much larger than the peaks need high load factor load loads for reaching a low lov cost per The designs ns are not thoroughly standardized The characteristics and econ econ- economies economics often are exaggerated Guarantees are misleading and subject to The actual life of a Diesel engine is unknown It is estimated that the present I day clay units will become obsolete or discarded before their full life liCe is isI reached I Speed regulation is not as accurate accurate accurate ate or close as in the case of steam lor or hydro units that is they are sluggish in governing Eventually better types of governors will Ic be devised However they are not yet et available for small engines clocks cannot be used i successfully with small isolated Diesel engine plants They require a hi high h type of care during their installation and durin during their entire lifetime There There- Therefore Therefore Therefore fore the labor portion of their operating expense is very high The life of these engin engines should be assumed at about twenty years There are various grades of Diesel Diegel some engines some cheaply built others very conservatively rated and more expensive per horsepower er Those cheaper in first cost usually show hi higher her maintenance costs r I Only skilled killed engineers and high class mechanics should be employed employ employ- employed ed oed around a Diesel plant In the thelong thelong long long- rim run cheap help is very ex- ex expensive expensive ex expensive pensive help Even with the best of care even even- eventually eventually major repairs are aro required an overhauls are very expensive ex- ex expensive ex expensive pensive and impossible to antici antici- anticipate anticipate pate vate On account of low operating costs people overlook high finan finan- financial financial financial cial overheads and under estimate the actual price of Diesel power In addition to engine and genera genera- generator generator tor guarantees the actual expense of operation must include fe many indefinite items such as fuel and oil while idling or while operating unloaded in parallel with a loaded machine station users of electricity electricity electricity city for excitation for lI lights and for power cooling water expenses etc A careful analysis should be had of the water to be used for cooling the engine An abundance of I soft w water ter is desirable Where the water contains impurities it may maybe maybe maybe be necessary ary to install a chemical treating treating- plant If good water is scarce or too expensive it may be necessary to install cooling cooling- towers and re-circulating re pumps which call caB for initial initial and running ex- ex expenses expenses ex expenses Th The m metals in Diesel engines asin as asin asin in automobile engines are subject to terrific temperature strains be- be between between be between tween hot gases ases and the cold cool cool- cooling cooling cooling ing water Like automobile engines they last better with frequent idle periods than on continued heavy loads On these accounts it is very de- de desirable desirable de desirable to have ample reserve ca- ca capacity capacity ca capacity in spare engines Mr Todd does well weB to specify a reserve unit at all times Many desirable accessories and to Diesel plants are available but most proposals to municipalities do not include these accessories In analyzing a pro pro- prof proposal I f this point should not be over over- overlooked overlooked overlooked looked The advice of independent 1 engineers who know about these things should be sought I There is an upward tendency in operating costs for Diesel plants The prices of materials and labor are rising and will the cost I laborI of Diesel power Fuel sometimes has been sold at less than the cost of its production Codes of fair competition will change this As the demand for gasoline increases I Imore more fuel oils will be cracked for that purpose Diesel caginess com com- coming coming coming ing into use on large automobiles trucks and on high speed railway trains w will 11 tend to raise the price for other purposes 1 I On the contrary there is no indication in- in indication in indication that the rates for electric energy furnished from utilities will willi I i increase Utility rates constantly are arc being being- lowered Purchased power pov from a large utility has certain other advantages es cs such as a minimum investment is required and there is a minimum of financial risk involved It has great flexibility The capacity required re- re required re required can be changed at any time without having idle funds on hand handor handor handor or expenditures without requiring new expendi expendi- tures of large amounts Utility power comes from inter inter- interconnection interconnection interconnection connection of many power plants This results in much greater reater dependability de- de dependability de dependability than can be secured I from anyone nay any one isolated plant no matter how expensively it is built I I Electric clocks are coming to be a modern necessity Only a large lare lar e utility can afford to furnish this service accurately PROPOSED GENER GENERATING TING I PLANT ILANT FOR BOUNTIFUL The load requirements for Boun- Boun Boun are given in Table VI VL After a careful study of the records in inI I Table I and curve sheet I it would be foolish to build a plant just large enough to carry loads up to about 1940 19 at which time the probable probable probable able demand for power will be not less than shown in th the table To carry such loads will require not less than two engines totaling liP HP We strongly recommend that I there should be b installed ono on engine in reser reserve so that in case of em- em emergency emergency em emergency erg erg-ency there will always be two engines available to carry the total load This means a total of three 1 engines eng or HP with a combined combined ed cd capacity of KW or G 5 KV A Allowing for load swings any h two of these engines eng would v still fit the present load conditions condition with a fair degree deg of efficiency and yet have a reasonable margin for future growth g I recommend that all engines be of equal capacity I I COST OF DIESEL PLANT ESTIlIA ESTIMATED TEl Starting with capacities as indi indi- indicated indicated indicated i above sufficient for loads that will be experienced four to i six years rears hence we have carefully compiled the details and costs for fora fora fora a suitable Diesel plant of medium fori i quality This plant complete with HP UP engine generators with exciters switchboards s wiring 1 water ater pumps piping real estate and powerhouse power house houe complete c can be c erected in Bountiful at the pres present en time for The items which entered into our estimate are arc not given in the tabulation but butwill butwill butwill will be furnished if desired After making the estimate I checked its cost per horsepower with similar plants on which I knew precise de- de details details de details tails of construction costs and found that it was very reasonable when compared with such recently built plants My estimate does not I include the usual cost of financing I THE COST OF OPERATING TIllS THIS PLANT IS TABULATED ON THE TIlE SAME SAl PAGE I The items in this tabulation were estimated with th a great reat deal of care Most of them were taken from the experience of ot other com com- comparable comparable comparable parable companies Tho The Bountiful company now pays more than in taxes I each year In the case of a muni muni- municipal municipal cipal plant most of the tax items I can be eliminated However it should be b noted that someone will willi i have to provide that much more taxes in case these are not paid I In any event there will be a sales tax on the ener energy y sold and probably I probIa probably a ably ly also in the future a fuel tax taxi Without taxes included and |