Kakabeka Falls Generating Station
Encyclopedia
Kakabeka Falls Generating Station is a hydroelectric facility
operated by Ontario Power Generation
on the bank of the Kaministiquia River
, 2 km (1.2 mi) downstream from Kakabeka Falls
in the community of Kakabeka Falls, Ontario
, 30 km (18.6 mi) west of Thunder Bay
. The plant provides energy to the city of Thunder Bay and area. The station is one of ten hydroelectric stations in Ontario Power Generation's Northwest Plant Group, and is remotely operated from Thunder Bay.
Kakabeka Falls Generating Station began operating in 1906, with two hydroelectric generating units. A third unit was added in 1911, and a fourth was added in 1914. Its four units provide a peak output of 25 MW
, enough energy to supply 14,000 homes.
The station is among the oldest power stations in Ontario, and much of the original equipment from 1906 is still in operation. It was owned and operated by the Kaministiquia Power Company until 1949, when it was purchased from its parent company, Abitibi Power and Paper Company
, by the Hydro-Electric Power Commission of Ontario, which became Ontario Hydro in 1974. After the 1999 restructuring of Ontario Hydro, the plant came under control of Ontario Power Generation.
located 2 km (1.2 mi) upstream from the powerhouse, which is used to divert and control the water flowing to the generating station. It consists of a main sluice
operated from Thunder Bay and six stop log sluices operated manually on-site. The intake structure is located on the eastern end of the dam and water flow into the aqueduct is controlled by three gated intake openings. The 2 km (1.2 mi) aqueduct has an internal diametre of 5 m (16.4 ft), and terminates at a large surge chamber. Four penstock
s lead from the surge chamber, one for each unit, following the natural slope of the escarpment
. Each is sized appropriately for requirements of the unit at which it terminates. Penstocks carry water from the surge chamber to the generating station, which generates electricity then flows back into the Kaministiquia River.
The powerhouse contains its original Francis turbines, manufactured by J. M. Voith
in Heidenheim, Germany
, and its generators were made by the Canadian General Electric Corporation. It has three 7,000 HP units which produce 5.3 MW of electricity each, and a 12,000 HP unit, generating 8.7 MW, for a total output of 24.6 MW.
entrepreneur Edward Spencer Jenison wished to serve the electricity demands of the nearby towns of Fort William
and Port Arthur
. Hydroelectricity at this time was in its infancy, and delivery of the electricity to its destination would prove a challenge as alternating current
was a relatively new development. Shortly after gaining rights to develop the project, Jenison sold them to three Canadian businessmen, who formed the Kaministiquia Power Company.
and temporary station on the CN
line 0.8 km (0.497098189319845 mi) from the falls, and the construction of a narrow gauge railway to bring equipment to the site. Three aqueduct
s measuring 3 m (9.8 ft) in diameter
were constructed to bring water from Ecarte Rapids upstream from Kakabeka Falls to the surge chamber. Water then flowed through four penstock
s to the station below, a total decline of 58 m (190.3 ft).
The plant originally consisted of two 7,000 HP
Francis turbine units, manufactured by J. M. Voith
in Heidenheim, Germany
, which produce 5.3 MW of electricity each. An expansion in 1911 saw the addition of a third 5 MW unit, at which point the powerhouse was expanded to its present size. In 1914, a fourth unit, generating 8.7 MW, and the third aqueduct, were added. In 1998, the three aqueducts were replaced with one large aqueduct with a 5 m (16.4 ft) internal diameter.
Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
operated by Ontario Power Generation
Ontario Power Generation
Ontario Power Generation is a public company wholly owned by the Government of Ontario. OPG is responsible for approximately 70% of the electricity generation in the Province of Ontario, Canada. Sources of electricity include nuclear, hydroelectric, solar, wind, and fossil fuel...
on the bank of the Kaministiquia River
Kaministiquia River
The Kaministiquia River is a river which empties into western Lake Superior at the city of Thunder Bay, Ontario. Kaministiquia is an Ojibwe word meaning " with islands" due to two large islands at the mouth of the river...
, 2 km (1.2 mi) downstream from Kakabeka Falls
Kakabeka Falls
Kakabeka Falls Provincial Park, established in 1955, covers 5 km² and is managed by Ontario Parks. It surrounds the falls and extends along the Kaministiquia River, which was used centuries ago by Voyageurs, who were the first Europeans to overwinter annually in northern Ontario...
in the community of Kakabeka Falls, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, 30 km (18.6 mi) west of Thunder Bay
Thunder Bay
-In Canada:Thunder Bay is the name of three places in the province of Ontario, Canada along Lake Superior:*Thunder Bay District, Ontario, a district in Northwestern Ontario*Thunder Bay, a city in Thunder Bay District*Thunder Bay, Unorganized, Ontario...
. The plant provides energy to the city of Thunder Bay and area. The station is one of ten hydroelectric stations in Ontario Power Generation's Northwest Plant Group, and is remotely operated from Thunder Bay.
Kakabeka Falls Generating Station began operating in 1906, with two hydroelectric generating units. A third unit was added in 1911, and a fourth was added in 1914. Its four units provide a peak output of 25 MW
Watt
The watt is a derived unit of power in the International System of Units , named after the Scottish engineer James Watt . The unit, defined as one joule per second, measures the rate of energy conversion.-Definition:...
, enough energy to supply 14,000 homes.
The station is among the oldest power stations in Ontario, and much of the original equipment from 1906 is still in operation. It was owned and operated by the Kaministiquia Power Company until 1949, when it was purchased from its parent company, Abitibi Power and Paper Company
Abitibi-Consolidated
Abitibi Consolidated Inc. was a Canadian pulp and paper company based in Montreal, Quebec. Abitibi-Consolidated was formed from the merger of Abitibi-Price Inc. and Stone Consolidated Corp...
, by the Hydro-Electric Power Commission of Ontario, which became Ontario Hydro in 1974. After the 1999 restructuring of Ontario Hydro, the plant came under control of Ontario Power Generation.
The station
The facility includes a damDam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
located 2 km (1.2 mi) upstream from the powerhouse, which is used to divert and control the water flowing to the generating station. It consists of a main sluice
Sluice
A sluice is a water channel that is controlled at its head by a gate . For example, a millrace is a sluice that channels water toward a water mill...
operated from Thunder Bay and six stop log sluices operated manually on-site. The intake structure is located on the eastern end of the dam and water flow into the aqueduct is controlled by three gated intake openings. The 2 km (1.2 mi) aqueduct has an internal diametre of 5 m (16.4 ft), and terminates at a large surge chamber. Four penstock
Penstock
A penstock is a sluice or gate or intake structure that controls water flow, or an enclosed pipe that delivers water to hydraulic turbines and sewerage systems. It is a term that has been inherited from the technology of wooden watermills....
s lead from the surge chamber, one for each unit, following the natural slope of the escarpment
Escarpment
An escarpment is a steep slope or long cliff that occurs from erosion or faulting and separates two relatively level areas of differing elevations.-Description and variants:...
. Each is sized appropriately for requirements of the unit at which it terminates. Penstocks carry water from the surge chamber to the generating station, which generates electricity then flows back into the Kaministiquia River.
The powerhouse contains its original Francis turbines, manufactured by J. M. Voith
Voith
The Voith GmbH, which is headquartered in Germany, is a family-run corporation in the mechanical engineering sector with worldwide operations....
in Heidenheim, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, and its generators were made by the Canadian General Electric Corporation. It has three 7,000 HP units which produce 5.3 MW of electricity each, and a 12,000 HP unit, generating 8.7 MW, for a total output of 24.6 MW.
History
Plans for a hydro electric plant at Kakabeka began in 1896, when ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
entrepreneur Edward Spencer Jenison wished to serve the electricity demands of the nearby towns of Fort William
Fort William, Ontario
Fort William was a city in Northern Ontario, located on the Kaministiquia River, at its entrance to Lake Superior. It amalgamated with Port Arthur and the townships of Neebing and McIntyre to form the city of Thunder Bay in January 1970. Ever since then it has been the largest city in Northwestern...
and Port Arthur
Port Arthur, Ontario
Port Arthur was a city in Northern Ontario which amalgamated with Fort William and the townships of Neebing and McIntyre to form the city of Thunder Bay in January 1970. Port Arthur was the district seat of Thunder Bay District.- History :...
. Hydroelectricity at this time was in its infancy, and delivery of the electricity to its destination would prove a challenge as alternating current
Alternating current
In alternating current the movement of electric charge periodically reverses direction. In direct current , the flow of electric charge is only in one direction....
was a relatively new development. Shortly after gaining rights to develop the project, Jenison sold them to three Canadian businessmen, who formed the Kaministiquia Power Company.
Construction
Construction of the facility began in September, 1905 and employed 600 men. It involved the construction of a railroad sidingRail siding
A siding, in rail terminology, is a low-speed track section distinct from a running line or through route such as a main line or branch line or spur. It may connect to through track or to other sidings at either end...
and temporary station on the CN
Canadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
line 0.8 km (0.497098189319845 mi) from the falls, and the construction of a narrow gauge railway to bring equipment to the site. Three aqueduct
Aqueduct
An aqueduct is a water supply or navigable channel constructed to convey water. In modern engineering, the term is used for any system of pipes, ditches, canals, tunnels, and other structures used for this purpose....
s measuring 3 m (9.8 ft) in diameter
Diameter
In geometry, a diameter of a circle is any straight line segment that passes through the center of the circle and whose endpoints are on the circle. The diameters are the longest chords of the circle...
were constructed to bring water from Ecarte Rapids upstream from Kakabeka Falls to the surge chamber. Water then flowed through four penstock
Penstock
A penstock is a sluice or gate or intake structure that controls water flow, or an enclosed pipe that delivers water to hydraulic turbines and sewerage systems. It is a term that has been inherited from the technology of wooden watermills....
s to the station below, a total decline of 58 m (190.3 ft).
The plant originally consisted of two 7,000 HP
Horsepower
Horsepower is the name of several units of measurement of power. The most common definitions equal between 735.5 and 750 watts.Horsepower was originally defined to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses in continuous operation. The unit was widely adopted to measure the...
Francis turbine units, manufactured by J. M. Voith
Voith
The Voith GmbH, which is headquartered in Germany, is a family-run corporation in the mechanical engineering sector with worldwide operations....
in Heidenheim, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, which produce 5.3 MW of electricity each. An expansion in 1911 saw the addition of a third 5 MW unit, at which point the powerhouse was expanded to its present size. In 1914, a fourth unit, generating 8.7 MW, and the third aqueduct, were added. In 1998, the three aqueducts were replaced with one large aqueduct with a 5 m (16.4 ft) internal diameter.