Chivilingo Hydroelectric Plant
Encyclopedia
Chivilingo Hydroelectric Plant is a historic hydroelectric power station located 14 kilometers south of Lota, Chile
. It came on line in 1897, and was the first hydroelectric plant in Chile and the second in South America. The plant is now registered on the list of IEEE Milestones in electrical engineering
, and open to visitors.
The Chivilingo plant dates to 1893 when its first feasibility studies were performed for the Lota undersea coal mine operated by the Compañía Explotadora de Lota y Coronel at depths of up to 12 km. Chief engineer William E. Raby formulated its initial plans, which settled upon the production of alternating current
to feed three phase motors, powered by waterfalls of the nearby Chivilingo River
.
Construction work began in 1896, with civil works and the aqueduct built by the mining company, and hydraulic and electric engineering performed by Consolidated Co. of North America and Schuckert & Co. of Nürnberg, Germany
. Two Pelton turbines powered two alternators of 215 kilowatts each (315 horsepower
, 400 volts, 360 ampere
s, 50 Hertz
). The resultant alternating current
power was then transferred to the undersea mine via a 10 kilovolt transmission line approximately 10 km in length.
The Chivilingo plant was in operation from 1897 to 1975, in its later years as part of the Chilean Central Interconnected System. In 1998 it was transferred by the city of Lota to the Fundación Chile
which now operates tours for visitors.
Lota, Chile
Lota is a city and commune located in the center of the Chile on the Gulf of Arauco. It lies within the Concepción Province of the Biobío Region.-History:...
. It came on line in 1897, and was the first hydroelectric plant in Chile and the second in South America. The plant is now registered on the list of IEEE Milestones in electrical engineering
Electrical engineering
Electrical engineering is a field of engineering that generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century after commercialization of the electric telegraph and electrical...
, and open to visitors.
The Chivilingo plant dates to 1893 when its first feasibility studies were performed for the Lota undersea coal mine operated by the Compañía Explotadora de Lota y Coronel at depths of up to 12 km. Chief engineer William E. Raby formulated its initial plans, which settled upon the production of 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....
to feed three phase motors, powered by waterfalls of the nearby Chivilingo River
Chivilingo River
-References:*...
.
Construction work began in 1896, with civil works and the aqueduct built by the mining company, and hydraulic and electric engineering performed by Consolidated Co. of North America and Schuckert & Co. of Nürnberg, 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...
. Two Pelton turbines powered two alternators of 215 kilowatts each (315 horsepower
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...
, 400 volts, 360 ampere
Ampere
The ampere , often shortened to amp, is the SI unit of electric current and is one of the seven SI base units. It is named after André-Marie Ampère , French mathematician and physicist, considered the father of electrodynamics...
s, 50 Hertz
Hertz
The hertz is the SI unit of frequency defined as the number of cycles per second of a periodic phenomenon. One of its most common uses is the description of the sine wave, particularly those used in radio and audio applications....
). The resultant 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....
power was then transferred to the undersea mine via a 10 kilovolt transmission line approximately 10 km in length.
The Chivilingo plant was in operation from 1897 to 1975, in its later years as part of the Chilean Central Interconnected System. In 1998 it was transferred by the city of Lota to the Fundación Chile
Fundación Chile
Fundación Chile is a non profit corporation created in 1976 through a joint agreement between the Chilean government and ITT Corporation. It is essentially a technological think tank that has worked successfully to foster Chilean business and industry growth through technological innovation and...
which now operates tours for visitors.