Kern County No. 1 Hydroelectric System, Powerhouse Exciters, Kern River Canyon, Bakersfield, Kern County, CA

Significance: The Kern River No. 1 powerhouse is equipped with two exciters (small electric generators) to provide direct field current to the four 5000 kv generators. The No. 1 exciter is original equipment driven by a water wheel; the No. 2 exciter was modified about 1930 to operate on an electric motor. Kern River No. 1 Hydroelectric Project significance lies in the key role it played in the development of the Southern California Edison Company into the pre-eminent twentieth Century Southern California Electric Utility. It is also significant as a nearly intact example of a state-of-the-art hydroelectric power facility from the early twentieth Century.

Survey number: HAER CA-165-A

Building/structure dates: 1902-1907 Initial Construction

Building/structure dates: ca. 1930 Initial Construction

powerhouses hydroelectric power plants power producing machinery power industry bakersfield calif kern county hydroelectric hydroelectric system powerhouse exciters powerhouse exciters canyon kern river canyon bakersfield california energy generation history of bakersfield california california power company edison electric company f c finckle general electric company historic american engineering record redlands electric light and power company southern california edison company ultra high resolution high resolution power plants united states history library of congress

1930

Library of Congress

http://www.loc.gov/

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