Petty Harbour Generating Station

The Petty Harbour Hydro Electric Generating Station which began construction in 1898 was the first hydroelectric generating station in Newfoundland and Labrador.^[1] It was built by the St. John's Street Railway Company, a company established by Robert Reid. Operation commenced on April 19, 1900.

In 1920 Reid renamed the company the St. John's Light and Power Company. On February 7, 1921 an avalanche destroyed 23 m (75 ft) of the wooden penstock that carried water from the dam to the generating station, cutting off all electrical power to St. John's for almost five days.^[2] Then in 1924 the plant changed ownership to the Royal Securities Corporation of Montreal where they began extensive reconstruction of the plant and watershed area.

On May 1, 1978 the plant was entered in the Canadian Engineering Heritage Record as a model reflecting progressive adaptation to emerging technology, and remains today as one of the few plants of its type still in active service.

Some interesting facts on the generating station:

• 3,200 ft (975 m) of woodstave penstock
• 350 ft (107 m) of tunnel blasted through Gull Hill
• 180 ft (55 m) of steel penstock
• 500 V, original Westinghouse generator
• 2,100 horsepower (1.6 MW) Voith turbines installed in 1908

References