York Haven Dam

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York Haven Dam
Official name	York Haven Hydro Station
Impounds	Susquehanna River
Creates	Frederic Lake
Locale	Central Pennsylvania, U.S.
Maintained by	York Haven Power Company
Length	8,000 foot (2,438 m)[1]
Construction began	1901[1]
Opening date	1904[2]
Geographical Data
Coordinates	40°07′03″N, 76°42′55″W

York Haven Dam is a low head, run-of-the river, dam and hydroelectric plant on the Susquehanna River. The dam is south of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, at the Conewago Falls, where the river drops 19 feet in 1/4 mile. When the dam was completed in 1904, it was the third largest in the world.^[1]

The major axis of the 5,000 foot diversion dam is north to south and connects to a 3,000 foot headrace which heads southeast. The dam and headrace a laid out along natural rock formations in the river. The south eastern end is on the "western" bank at York Haven. The north end lands at Three Mile Island. There is a smaller dam further up Three Mile Island that completes the crossing to the eastern bank of the river. The hydroelectric plant is at the south eastern end near the western bank of the river.

The hydroelectric plant generates 19-20 Megawatts of power.^[2][3] The plant has 13 horizontal generators that produce up to 1,000 kilowatts each. There are 7 vertical generators that generate between 1,200 and 1,600 kilowatts apiece. Four of the vertical units use Kaplan turbines.^[1] The plant uses one of the first Kaplan turbines installed in the United States, which is listed as a National Historic Engineering Landmark.^[4]

The ownership, as of 2006-08-20, runs York Haven Power Company owned by Metropolitan Edison Company, which is operating company of FirstEnergy Corporation. The plant's FERC license runs through August 2014.^[2]

[edit] See also

• List of dams and reservoirs of the Susquehanna River

[edit] References

1. ^ ^{a b c d} National Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark: Kaplan Turbine (PDF). American Society of Mechanical Engineers (1980-10-20). Retrieved on 2006-08-20.
2. ^ ^{a b c} Air Issues Report (PDF). Retrieved on 2006-08-20.
3. ^ Comments of Metropolitan Edison Company, Pennsylvania Electric Company and Pennsylvania Power Company (PDF) 3.
4. ^ Kaplan Turbine (1929). American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Retrieved on 2006-08-20.