Category talk:Hydroelectric power plants in Colorado

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hydro plants in colorado[edit]

there are many hydro plants in colorado, especially on the western slope. the largest are owned by the federal government; especially at the headwaters of the colorado river near grand lake and on the gunnison river between montrose and gunnison. smaller private plants on the western slope are situated at rangely, glenwood springs, steamboat springs, palisade, grand junction, durango, ouray, ridgway, telluride (2), lake city, bayfield and dolores.

the oldest operating hydro plant in colorado is the 900 kW installation at ouray. it consists of 3 pelton wheel units. the site was first developed in 1887 as a direct current plant (what we used to call the edison system). the 1891 ames plant in telluride was the first use of alternating current power and is closely associated with tesla and westinghouse (we ought to call it the tesla system). numerous other towns once had their own local plants. these were rendered uneconomic when j.p. morgan instituted the principal of regulated monopolies (contrary to the colorado constitution and the sherman anti-trust act). the revenues for power generation left the small towns and went to areas where massive coal burning central stations were constructed. the rewards of this centralization were called profits; the injuries to small town economies and the environment were socialized, a trend which continues to this day. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 174.16.169.182 (talk) 00:29, 29 October 2009 (UTC)[reply]