Eugene C. Whitney
Encyclopedia
Eugene C. Whitney was a celebrated power engineer who designed hydroelectric turbines and generators at Westinghouse Electric Company
. The pinnacle of his career was the machinery for the expansion of the Grand Coulee Dam
to add the #3 Powerhouse in 1966-74.
Whitney earned a bachelors degree in electrical engineering
from the University of Michigan
and then went to work for Westinghouse .
Whitney's turbine generators for the Grand Coulee Dam are the largest in the world, six times larger than those at Niagara Falls
which were also the largest when built. The turbine generators had to be shipped as parts and assembled at the dam. His Westinghouse manager recalled being surprised when they worked perfectly from the start.
Gene designed and installed turbine generators for hydroelectric and pumped-storage hydroelectric
facilities throughout the United States
. When his equipment was installed at the Muddy Run Pumped Storage Facility
, Gene "was present when the machines were first to be started. The operator was reluctant to take the first step. Gene said, 'Call your boss.' The boss said, 'If Gene says to start the machines, start them.' So they did, and water rose from the lower Susquehanna River to the upper reservoir, 400 feet above".
Whitney retired from Westinghouse in 1974 and became an engineering consultant. He consulted for the Itaipu dam project in Brazil
.
Whitney received the Westinghouse Order of Merit in 1964 and the IEEE's Nikola Tesla Award
in 1985. He was elected into the National Academy of Engineering
in 1986. The election citation reads: "For outstanding contributions to the theory of electrical machines, and for the design of many of the world's largest hydrogenerators.". "Whitney is an IEEE Fellow and a member of the IEEE Rotating Machinery, Synchronous and the Power Generation Hydraulic subcommittees".
Westinghouse Electric Company
Westinghouse Electric Company LLC is a nuclear power company, offering a wide range of nuclear products and services to utilities throughout the world, including nuclear fuel, service and maintenance, instrumentation and control and advanced nuclear plant designs...
. The pinnacle of his career was the machinery for the expansion of the Grand Coulee Dam
Grand Coulee Dam
Grand Coulee Dam is a gravity dam on the Columbia River in the U.S. state of Washington built to produce hydroelectric power and provide irrigation. It was constructed between 1933 and 1942, originally with two power plants. A third power station was completed in 1974 to increase its energy...
to add the #3 Powerhouse in 1966-74.
Whitney earned a bachelors degree 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...
from the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
and then went to work for Westinghouse .
Whitney's turbine generators for the Grand Coulee Dam are the largest in the world, six times larger than those at Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls
The Niagara Falls, located on the Niagara River draining Lake Erie into Lake Ontario, is the collective name for the Horseshoe Falls and the adjacent American Falls along with the comparatively small Bridal Veil Falls, which combined form the highest flow rate of any waterfalls in the world and has...
which were also the largest when built. The turbine generators had to be shipped as parts and assembled at the dam. His Westinghouse manager recalled being surprised when they worked perfectly from the start.
Gene designed and installed turbine generators for hydroelectric and pumped-storage hydroelectric
Pumped-storage hydroelectricity
Pumped-storage hydroelectricity is a type of hydroelectric power generation used by some power plants for load balancing. The method stores energy in the form of water, pumped from a lower elevation reservoir to a higher elevation. Low-cost off-peak electric power is used to run the pumps...
facilities throughout the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. When his equipment was installed at the Muddy Run Pumped Storage Facility
Muddy Run Pumped Storage Facility
Muddy Run Pumped Storage Facility is a pumped-storage hydroelectric generation facility in Drumore Township, Pennsylvania, USA. When completed in 1968, Muddy Run was the largest pumped-storage facility in the world...
, Gene "was present when the machines were first to be started. The operator was reluctant to take the first step. Gene said, 'Call your boss.' The boss said, 'If Gene says to start the machines, start them.' So they did, and water rose from the lower Susquehanna River to the upper reservoir, 400 feet above".
Whitney retired from Westinghouse in 1974 and became an engineering consultant. He consulted for the Itaipu dam project in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
.
Whitney received the Westinghouse Order of Merit in 1964 and the IEEE's Nikola Tesla Award
IEEE Nikola Tesla Award
The IEEE Nikola Tesla Award is a Technical Field Award given annually to an individual or team that has made an outstanding contribution to the generation or utilization of electric power. It is awarded by the Board of Directors of the IEEE. The award is named in honor of Nikola Tesla...
in 1985. He was elected into the National Academy of Engineering
National Academy of Engineering
The National Academy of Engineering is a government-created non-profit institution in the United States, that was founded in 1964 under the same congressional act that led to the founding of the National Academy of Sciences...
in 1986. The election citation reads: "For outstanding contributions to the theory of electrical machines, and for the design of many of the world's largest hydrogenerators.". "Whitney is an IEEE Fellow and a member of the IEEE Rotating Machinery, Synchronous and the Power Generation Hydraulic subcommittees".