tumut3

Tumut 3
Monday December 20, 1999

Click picture below to hear about electricity

This day I experienced many things as a first. It was the first time I every had a chico roll a kind of fastfood that can be bought at a milkbar for a lunch on the run. It was the first time I had ever heard of Dad and Dave. And it was the first time I ever visited a hydro electrical power plant. *sigh* I love variety.*s* Although Brian seemed a bit reluctant as it was sort of out of our way and I couldn't really explain why I wanted to visit it, I just knew that I needed to.

When we pulled up outside I was in awe of the size of the pipes. I loved the modern look of the entrance and inside I was impressed at the displays and working models as the tour guide explained how the system worked. I never really knew how any of this worked before, I was one of those that if you asked where the power came from I would reply the wire when you flip the switch. I felt the lightbulb above my head brighten as I understood how the power was being supplied to it. We all had to wear these yellow hardhat things that had listening devices built in so we could hear the tour guide as she explained the system to us.

Inside the power station were the different stations that were controlled by the computers at the opposite end of the building. The pic to the right shows the inside inlet pipe that is located with the open exposure on the left picture. A benefit of hydro over coal fired station is that it can instantly react to an increase of demand.

Here you can see the inlet pipes outside. They are actually large enough to drive a double decker bus in. I can't imagine trying to bring these pipes to this remote location but the australians never ceased to amaze me when they have a purpose it seems they find a way. The project was started in 1949 and was completed on time and UNDER budget in 1974, a concept new to this american. We were fortunate enough to have visited during the 50th anniversary from the start.

Hydro-electricity is generated using the energy created by falling water. The greater the fall the greater the kinetic energy. Here the pressurized water flows thru turbines which drive an electric generator by spinning a rotor, electromagnet, inside the stator, fixed coils of the generator. Transformers like the picture to the left boost the generated voltage to a level that can be transmitted over long distances.

To learn more about the Snowy Mountain Power System visit one of these by clicking the title

Now if I didn't get that right please feel free to email me and let me know... as if I need an excuse to go back.*s*
We stopped for a final photo of the area at the Blowering Dam. As I thought the vacation couldn't get better it always did.