LET THERE BE LIGHT

The Jackson powerhouse in 1908. Many additions have been made to the plant since to accommodate Jackson's growing power needs. Submitted by Bernard Schaper

The first engine used to generate electricity burned coal to generate steam. This engine generated 50 kilowatts of power. Today Jackson requires between 18,000 and 23,000 megawatts of power per hour.

It was 90 years ago this week when Jackson residents first enjoyed the convenience of electric lights.

On Feb. 13, 1908, a year and five days after the Jackson Municipal Power Plant became operational, Jackson residents turned on their new electric powered lights to illuminate their homes and businesses.

The next day, Valentine's Day, the city turned on its street lights for the first time. A total of 14 street lights were powered by the plant.

The first electric bills were based on a flat rate determined by the number of light bulbs you had.

The electric light bulb had been around since Thomas Edison's invention of the incandescent light bulb in 1879.

Then Edison created the first power plant to make and distribute electricity. The idea caught on and society made the transition from burning the midnight oil to burning the filament inside a light bulb.

By the turn of the century the electric light was replacing candles, fires, oil lamps and gas lanterns as a means by which to see where it once was dark.

The residents of Jackson took action on the idea on June 27, 1905 when they voted 352 for and five against a bond issue for the construction of a electric power plant and water plant.

The bond issue was for $17,000. The first water well was dug in 1906, but the power plant wasn't operational until Feb. 5, 1907. Still residents had to wait another year as lines were run from the plant to residences and businesses throughout the town. The poles and lines were run by Parr Tire Co. The first pole truck consisted of a push cart with buggy wheels and a ladder.

Jackson's first electric generator ran on steam created by burning coal and it only produced 50 kilowatts of power, but at the time it was enough.

Jackson's superintendent of the power and water plant, John King, said the city requires an average of 18,000 megawatts per hour to provide power to its residents in the winter months and in the summer months the average is 23,000 MW.

The city got out of providing all of Jackson's needs in electric generation in the summer of 1957 and since then the generators only operate to provide additional electric for peak periods when residents use more electric than the city has contracted for from other power plants.

In 1957, Jackson interconnected with Missouri Utilities Co. which later became Union Electric Co., which is today AmerenUE. The change from a primary source plant to emergency stand-by and peaking service also fueled a number of additional engines. The power plant grew as the system load grew to off-set demand charges, which was the cost of someone else installing equipment to supply the city's needs.

On June 1, 1988, Jackson acquired by contract with Union Electric a transmission agreement by which the city was able to purchase power from outside sources. Today, the bulk of Jackson's power comes from power plants in Jonesboro, Ark., Sikeston and Marceline, Mo.

Jackson's peak was in the summer of 1995 when the city required nearly 29,000 MW.

Growth of the power plant

As Jackson grew so did its need for electricity. So the power plant grew with the city.

In 1924, the first of many additions was made to the power plant. The power provider was in the midst of changing electric generators from steam driven to diesel engines. This transition started in 1922 and was completed in 1926, according to historical papers at the power plant.

In 1924, two Fairbanks-Morse diesel engines were added and two years later another one was added. In 1930, a 415 horsepower Fairbanks engine was added. Another Fairbanks was added in 1932, this time it was a 600 horsepower engine. But all of these engines have since been retired by the plant.

The oldest engine in operation today was put into operation in 1936. The 1000 horsepower McIntosh & Seymour engine has served Jackson residents for 62 years.

The city added a Busch-Sulzer 1,500 horsepower engine in 1946 and in 1951 it added a White Superior, which was the first engine to run on both diesel and natural gas.

Jackson's needs kept growing and in 1953 it added another dual fueled engine manufactured by White Superior.

Since the change from primary power provider to peak provider in 1957, Jackson has added five more engines to the power plant.

In 1960, a Busch-Sulzer, dual fueled 1435 horsepower engine was added and another one in 1962. In 1973 two Worthington 8629 horsepower engines were added at a cost of $800,000 each. In 1983, Jackson added another Fairbanks-Morse at a cost of $1.2 million, King said. All the engines added since 1936 are still in operation.

The city's current capacity to generate electricity is 22,314 MW.