Safe Harbor Project

The Safe Harbor Water Power Corporation has recently completed the dam and initial section of the power house to develop the fall of the Susquehanna river between the Holtwood project backwater and Columbia, Pennsylvania. This development, when completed, will be one of the largest hydroelectric developments in the United States. In the initial project there will be installed 255,000 turbine horse-power, and in the completed project 510,000 turbine horsepower. One of the most notable features is the 42,500-hp. Kaplan turbines, the most powerful ever built and the largest in physical dimensions so far installed on this continent. In the average year, with full utilization, the initial project will generate over 800,000,000 kw-hr. for distribution through the transmission system of the Pennsylvania Water and Power Company to Baltimore, Maryland, and Pennsylvania customers. Transmission to Baltimore will be at 230 kv. and to Pennsylvania customers at 69 kv. and 132 kv. The power house and dam have a combined length of 5,000 ft.; the length of the dam is 4,084 ft., and the ultimate length of the power house is 916 ft. The spillway length is 1,810 ft.; the spillway is equipped for its entire length with crest gates, of which there are thirty-two 48 ft. long and 35 ft. high. The discharge capacity of the spillway at normal elevation 225.0, is 970,000 c.f.s., and at forebay elevation 227.0 (ultimate) 1,150,000 c.f.s. The lake created by the dam impounds a useful storage of 3 billion cu. ft.