|
Argyle Power Plant on the Pecatonica River
Effective March 1st,
the Efficient Heating & Cooling Program will begin offering three new Cash-Back
Rewards. The added incentives include:
-
$75 reward for a flue
closure with the installation of qualified Efficient Heating & Cooling Program
equipment. (Must be a customer of participating natural gas utility to be
eligible; may not receive flue closure rewards offered through other Focus on
Energy Residential Programs. Other restrictions apply.)
-
$50 ECM reward for variable
speed motors and efficient brushless DC motors used to distribute air from a
split system air conditioner. (Must be a customer of a participating electric
utility to be eligible. Other restrictions apply.)
-
$150 bonus reward for
installation of both
an ECM furnace and split system central air conditioner. (Must
be a customer of a participating electric utility to be eligible; both systems
must be purchased and installed at the same time to qualify. Other
restrictions apply.) The $150 bonus reward is only available for a limited
time: March 1 –
June 30, 2008.
Argyle Municipal Utilities
Celebrates 100 Years of Service to the Community
1905-2005
History of Argyle Power Plant
The history
of the Argyle Power Plant and Waterworks began on April 21, 1905 when the
following notice appeared in the Argyle Atlas:
“Special election
notice: Notice is hereby
given to the qualified electors of the village of Argyle, that s special
election will be held in Partridge’s hall, in the village of Argyle, Lafayette
Co., WI. On Tuesday the 9th day of May, 1905, for the purpose of
submitting to the people, the question of bonding the village for the
construction of light and waterworks, to supply the inhabitants of said village
with light and water, for fire and domestic purposes. The amount of said bonds
is to be fifteen thousand dollars, ($15,000). The poles of said election will be
opened at 10 o’clock a.m. and closed at 4 p.m.”
The people of Argyle expressed themselves on the question of public
improvements and municipal ownership of public utilities in no uncertain manner
at the election, when it was decided to build an electric light plant and a
system of waterworks. The vote stood 79 for and 27 against. Predictions ranged
all the way from twenty against to a vote of two to one in favor of, but no one
predicted a majority of nearly three to one until the votes were counted. We
have not learned the plans of the council, but they have the sentiment of the
people in favor of immediately and vigorously pushing the work.
On June 23, 1905, F. W. Cole, a representative of the National
Construction Co., of South Bend, Indiana, was in town and contracted with the
village council for plans for a light and water plant. The engineer will be here
next week and draw three plans which he will submit to the council which is not
bound to accept any of them, though a stated price is agreed on for the drawing
of the plans in case the bid of the company for construction should not be
accepted. Mr. Cole gave it as his opinion that both plants could be put in for
less than the amount of the bonds voted, and that should they get the contract
the work can be completed before cold weather. He also recommends that gas be
substituted for electric lights and claims it can be operated more economically
and with greater profit. With a gas plant residences and public buildings could
be heated and it could be used for cooking purposes.
However nothing definite will be decided until the plans have been
submitted. The prospects now are that work will begin at an early date.
The village treasurer received $15,000 from the state trust fund on
March 2, 1906, the amount borrowed by the village council for the construction
of a waterworks and lighting system, and the contract will undoubtedly be let at
an early date.
John Powell, J. J. Uren, and G. S. DeVoe, representing the council
went to Brodhead, Clinton, and Sharon last week, to inspect lighting systems in
those places. There seems to be a question as to whether an electric light or a
gas plant will be put in.
The council has come to no conclusion in the matter as there seems
to be a division of opinion among the members. The plans and blue prints for the
waterworks have been received from the engineer who was engaged to draw them.
Regarding that system it has not been decided whether to use steam, water or
gasoline power. If water power is used the power house will probably be located
near where the old sawmill stood. If steam or gasoline is used the power will
probably be located in the park.
On April 27, 1906 the village council decided to purchase the mill
property for the sum of $4500, and use the water power for running the electric
light plant and waterworks. While this will be a more expensive plant in the
start, they calculate that in the end the saving will more than pay for the
property as the water power can be used an average of ten months in the year. At
Blanchardville it cost $600 last year for coal and the saving in this item would
be considerable. Besides they expect to get some revenue from the mill during
the day while the power is not required for other purposes.
It was not suspected that the old mill was so nearly all in until
May 25th, 1906 when the workmen began to clear away to repair it. Then it was
found that the husk frame and the timbers supporting the heavy machinery were
rotted beyond repair, and that the building had slid toward the river until
whole sections of joists had parted from the beams and were only supported by
the old flooring planks. The north foundation had partly fallen, and one or two
more cakes of ice striking it in the vulnerable point would have tumbled the
whole structure into the river. Workmen began restoring the building and it will
be put into good condition again.
In July of 1906 the village purchased their first load of power
poles which at that time were made from white cedar. At this point in time the
village council voted to purchase 2 water wheels from the James Leffel Co.
In August of 1906 the village council ordered a 60 Kw generator from
Western Electric Co. for $610 and a switchboard from Adams Co. for $135. By
October the water wheels had been set in the wheel pit at the power house and
the machinery was being placed in position so that it could be attached to the
dynamo as soon as it arrived. It was estimated that the village may have
electric lights by the 20th of October, 1906. This did not mean
however that the building would be completed by that time.
October 19, 1906, up to date the village had paid out $11,000 on the
electric light plant with more than $1,000 worth of machinery to pay for, the
lumber bill was unpaid and no engine provided for, to run the plant when the
wheels are backwatered. The purchase of the mill property represents $4,500 of
this amount and the new wheel pit cost about $2,000. Village purchased machinery
for the mill from Allis-Chalmers Co. in Milwaukee.
After
several delays in the delivery of the dynamo, it finally arrived and on November
7, 1906 the lights were turned on. As stated in the November 23, 1906 Argyle
Atlas: Argyle now has electric lights and a wonderful change has been wrought in
the old town. At 5:30, on Saturday November 7th, 1906 Engineer E. J.
Manning announced that the plant was ready for work, Mayor Powell turned on the
juice and behold there was light.
The plant has cost a good round sum, but we have something to show
for our money and there is no question but that it is the best plant in southern
Wisconsin. It is a fact that none of the nearby towns, little of big have their
streets as well lighted as ours. There are four arc lights in the business
district and on the residence streets the incandescent lights are only one
hundred feet apart, ant the beauty of it is there is power enough and to spare.
There are two water wheels, one 40 inch and one 30 inch, and the plant is being
run by the smaller wheel at not more than half of its capacity, while the dynamo
is of a capacity, more than double what towns of this size are using.
A few of the buildings are already wired and connected, orders are
now in for the wiring of others that it will take six weeks to finish, and it
won’t be long before we will all have them. People driving in from the west at
night are struck by the beauty of the scene and think we are having a carnival.
On November 26, 1906 the Village of Argyle adopted the following
electric rates:
Safe Rate-40 cents per month flat rate
1 light - $.40 / month
2 lights $.75 / month
3 lights $1.00/ month
Meter rate
for energy was .08/kwh
The
village furnished the meter and charged .25/ month rent.
Beginning January 4, 1907 the
electric light department started giving us a morning service. The power is
turned on at five o’clock, and everyone having their buildings wired can get
service at that time. This is a good move as people dislike resorting to
kerosene lamps in the morning when they have electric lights a part of the time.
This will also make more revenue for the plant without any extra expense.
The Village of Argyle finished
building council chambers at the power house in March of 1907 and the village
elections will be held there this spring. On March 29, 1907 the grist mill was
completed. The council hired someone to run the mill until fall when they rented
the equipment to the millwright that installed it (Philip Eimerman). The mill
could operate during the day when power was not being produced by the wheels.
On July 9, 1914, the Village of Argyle council accepted a
proposal from Fairbanks Morse Co to furnish one 60 HP oil engine for $1560
installed. They also accepted the proposal from Western Electric Co. to furnish
one 60 Kw D.C. 750 rpm generator completely furnished including switch board as
specified for $745. This engine was used to power the generator when the water
wheels were backwatered.
On May 5, 1915 the electric light plant began all day service and a
new contract was made with John Siversind and that he receive $100/month for his
service.
The Argyle light and water plant came near being destroyed by fire.
The alarm was sounded about eleven o’clock in the evening of Friday Aug. 1st,
1919 when it was discovered that fire had broken out under the first floor. On
account of the heavy rain Wednesday night the river was up to a point where the
water wheels were backwatered and the auxiliary engine kept for such
emergencies, was put into use. This was a seventy-five horse power oil engine
with an exhaust pipe about six inches in diameter which ran thru the floor and
went out at the tail race. A pine joist ran close to the pipe near where it went
thru the floor, and as the engine had an unusually heavy load that night, the
pipe got so hot that it set the joist on fire and soon spread on the underside
of the floor. When the firemen arrived the engine room was so full of smoke that
it was difficult to enter the building, but they ran in and remained as long as
they could and would come out gasping for breath while another bunch would take
their places. It was dangerous to get under the floor because of the fire and
smoke, and the high water, but two of the boys finally got under with a hose at
risk of their lives, turned the hose on the flames and the fire was soon out.
In 1920 the electric rates were redesigned as follows: .75 base
charge, $.10 for the first 50 Kwh, $.08 for the next 50 Kwh, $.06 for the next
50 Kwh, and $.04 per Kwh for the remainder.
On March
1, 1923, the village council went to Fairbanks-Morse Co. in Beloit, WI. to
examine engines with a view of buying one for the electric light plant, as the
current standby engine was overloaded. They selected a Fairbanks-Moorse engine
of 150 horse power capacity for $9000, and immediate shipment was promised. The
engine was installed on a base above the high water mark so that a cloudburst
and a flood would not put the plant out of commission. Also in April of 1923 the
Village of Argyle bought a 12,000 oil tank for $435 to store the oil for the
engine.
The electric plant started providing all night service on February 4, 1927.
The year 1928 was the last year that the two old horizontal shaft water
wheels were used. During that last year the electric plant had manufactured
365,000 kW, of which 50,000 kW was sold for power, 220,000 kW for lights, 39,000
kW for street lights, and 15,000 kW for pumping water. The community building
used 21,000 kW and the stone quarry 8,000 kW.
The village borrowed $20,000 from the state trust fund on March 8th,
1929 for the purpose of rebuilding the electric light plant and purchase of new
equipment for the purpose of changing from 220 volt DC to 110 volt AC .
The Village ordered an extra generator on June 4, 1929 from Rockford
Power Machinery Co. for $1168, a switchboard for #2344, and a chain drive for
the exciter to be installed for $90 from the same co.
 The upgrade to the power plant
was bid @ $8372. The village council accepted the bid from James Leffel Mfg. Co
for a 39-B-2-138 RPM water turbine. FOB Argyle $4835. They also accepted the
bid from Electric Machinery Mfg. Co for a 75 KVA 138 RPM electric generator FOB
Argyle $5841.
W.H. Shons, of Freeport, who was awarded the contract for the
concrete work at the power plant, started the construction for installing the
new hydro-generator on July 25, 1929. The contract called for tearing out the
old concrete, and necessitated building a cofferdam above the head gates of the
flume.
During this construction period of new concrete work for the hydro
and construction of coffer dams to keep water out of the generator pit, all of
the power was generated by the engine which ran on a 24 hour schedule, with no
chance to cool off.
The Village of Argyle borrowed $15,000 to convert the light plant
from DC to AC on April 1, 1930.
The village contracted with Fairbanks Morse to provide a 225 HP 148
KW full diesel generator set for the sum of $22,740 on April 20, 1937.
A meeting of citizens of the Village of Argyle was held in the
community building in April of 1937 for the purpose of discussing the
advisability of purchasing electric energy from Wisconsin Power & Light Company
instead of enlarging our own plant by the purchase of an extra engine as planned
by the village board.
Two agents of the Wisconsin Power and Light Co. were present and
stated the advantages from their standpoint. After that a citizen of the Village
of Argyle arose and made a motion to give the Village Board a vote of confidence
in their action on buying a Diesel engine. This motion was carried without a
dissenting vote and the meeting adjourned.
Perhaps many of our citizens do not realize the many advantages
Argyle has in its municipally owned light plant. Instead of the village having
to be taxed to support the plant it is not only self-supporting but supplies the
power for street lighting and water pumping free, that would have to be raised
by taxation should it be hooked up to the power line and not only that but it
earns a substantial surplus over expenses every year that has made it
unnecessary for the Board to levy any Village tax for a number of past years.
While our rates may be slightly higher than in some places having the power
lines we are “sitting pretty” and if the power line can afford to pay $35,000
for the hook-up, which they offered to do, by the same token Argyle can well
afford to be independent.
On January 20, 1938 the REA was formed and an agreement was signed
for Argyle to furnish power to Lafayette County Cooperative. Electric power
manufactured at the Argyle plant will be furnished to approximately 452 rural
subscribers over approximately 142 miles of power lines. This power was to be
furnished at $1.25/kw demand and .01/kwh. These rural areas included Willow
Springs, Kendall, Belmont, Blanchard, Seymour, Darlington, Shullsburg,
Monticello, Gratiot, Wayne, Wiota, Lamont, Fayette, and Argyle townships.
REA was serving 245 farms in the county on July 21, 1938, over 157
miles of lines from Argyle; the load had begun being served in late June. On
November 10, 1938 the REA had received approval for extension of 81 more miles
of line, this extension includes lines to serve Adams and Jordan townships.
By September 1, 1939 all REA lines were energized and the
cooperative supplied power to 635 patrons over 303 miles of lines.
On November 7, 1941 the village
adopted an off-peak water heating rate suggested by the PSC, Fixed charge of
.25, min. charge 1.00/month and energy charge of .011/ Kwh.
On November 1, 1946, the Village Council entered into a contract
with Fairbanks Morse to provide one 300 Kw diesel 6 cylinder engine and
generator for $43,200. This engine was installed in March 1948.
In December 1946 the village started receiving power from REA during
the evening once a week and by July 1951 we had started receiving power on a 24
hour a day basis with supplemental energy being produced by our hydro and
diesels.
 In August
1968 the Village of Argyle system voltage was converted from a 2300 volt Delta
system to a 2400/4160 volt Wye system. In November 1968 one of the 3 cylinder
engines was replaced with a V12 Dorman engine rated at 660 Kw.
With the load growth that came along with our industrial growth in Argyle, in
the early 1970’s it wasn’t long and we needed more capacity. On July 10, 1973
the V12 Dorman engine was replaced with the first of two Fairbanks Morse 38D8
1/8 OP engines rated at 1136 Kw. The second of these engines was installed
in 1989 making the total capacity of the plant 2.2 megawatts. These
engines were built in the 1940’s as power for ships and submarines for the Navy
during WWII. They served us very well up to turn on the century, when plans
began for their retirement due to the need for overhaul and need for more
efficient and environmentally friendly equipment.
 During
the fall and winter of 2003, these engines were retired and removed from the
building. Building modifications began for the installation of a new 2250
Kw Caterpillar 3516 V16 Diesel Generator. This generator was put into
service in June of 2004. This unit is in service today along with the hydro
generator that was installed in 1929.
Over the history of the light
plant, several people had worked at the light plant. The first record we have
found was that a man by the name of John Aeschliman was the first electrician at
the plant. On November 19, 1907 the Village of Argyle hired John Siversend as
electrician at the power house. He took the place of John Aeschliman. On Sept.
3, 1926, two others were hired to help at the light plant, Oscar Windon and
Hjalmer Nelson.
Clifford Penniston was hired as
a relief operator at the light plant on July 1, 1927, for .35/hour and .50/hour
for doing repair work inside and outside. Clifford Penniston was hired as
superintendent of the light plant on May 2nd, 1930.
Howard
Johnson started working as an assistant at the light plant in November, 1938 and
worked for the village until he resigned on September 1, 1943. On October 18,
1943 Bernard Marti was hired as helper and the light plant. He resigned on
September 21, 1945 and the village hired James Penniston as helper.
Paul
Mueller was hired on September 6, 1946. Other that worked at the plant included
Robert Flint, David Everson, and Rick Phillipson. The current superintendent of
the plant is Randy Martin.
Click HERE to
find out about new improvements to the Argyle Power Plant.
The village of Argyle has operated a Municipal Electric
Utility since 1905. The utility serves approximately 479 customers within
the village limits of Argyle. The Utility buys wholesale power from Dairyland
Power Cooperative of LaCrosse, WI. We take delivery of the power from a
69kV transmission line to our substation on Mill Street, which was constructed
in 1997. The Argyle Power Plant located in the center of town on the
Pecatonica River has one of the few operational Hydroelectric generators still
producing power from small streams in Wisconsin. The generator on the
small head dam produces about 210 megawatt hours of electricity annually. The
power plant also houses Diesel generator equipment with enough capacity to
supply power to the entire village in case of an ice storm or other outage of
our normal supply of electricity.
Utility Features
- Generating Capacity to
supply entire Village of Argyle
- 180-220 Megawatts of Green Energy
Generated Annually
- New substation constructed
in 1997
- 80% of Distribution
system rebuilt in last 15 years
- Reasonable rates due to
wholesale Power contract with Dairyland Power Cooperative
| 
