Merrickville Generating Station - Merrickville, Ontario
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Weathervane
N 44° 55.071 W 075° 50.244
18T E 433905 N 4974165
The Merrickville Generating Station, built in 1915, generates 2 mega-watts of electricity and is located on the Rideau River/Canal, in Merrickville, Ontario
Waymark Code: WMH01X
Location: Ontario, Canada
Date Posted: 04/30/2013
Views: 16
"A local company composed of four or five of the old mill owners on the original power site was developing power from a new Government dam. This dam had just been recently built across the Rideau River.
The power at Merrickville was originally used by four old industries namely a plow company, a malleable company, a flour company and a woollen mill. The municipalities in this district comprised in the Rideau System were supplied by small electric power plants which were either municipally owned or were the property of small private companies. These plants were consolidated and a new company known as the Rideau Power Company established. Construction of a new station at Merrickville was the Rideau Power Company's first undertaking.
The Power Company borrowed $30,000 from the village. The company was to pay off these debentures with interest while certain control of the rates had to be given to the municipality. Power was initially sold at not more than $15.00 per horsepower per annum and was intended for use within the town. The Rideau Power Company was incorporated with $80,000 capital and the estimated cost of the first unit was $30,000.
When unit one was partially completed, the project came to a standstill owing to a lack of funds necessary to carry on the work. Contractors' claims against the work already done amounted to $7,000. Pressure was exercised to obtain settlement of these claims and as the municipality had advanced a considerable sums of money to the company in connection with the development, it applied to the Commission for advice as to the best means of protecting its interest.
It appeared in view of all the facts that the best way out of the difficulty was to expend the additional amount of $700.00 necessary to place the present unit in commercial operation.
Data was studied to determine whether or not the flow conditions of the river would permit the efficient operation of a second unit. If viable, there would be no difficulty in raising funds for the proper completion of the plant up to the extent of the available water supply. If not, a minimum of investment would have been sacrificed.
The plant finally went into service in 1915, however, the second unit was not added until 1919.
On January 25, 1918, the Commission entered into an agreement with the Rideau Power Company for the purchase of a supply of power. The Commission agreed to purchase a minimum of 500 hp for 20 years at $14.00 per horsepower per annum."
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