Economic proportion of hydroelectric and steam power

This paper describes a new method of determining for any power system, what proportion of generation should be hydroelectric, and what steam, from the standpoint of economics. A method is outlined for obtaining a curve showing “Total cost per kilowatt-year for hydroelectric and steam power”, for any percentage combination of generation. With system load curve, fixed charges on steam and hydroelectric plants, cost of fuel and other steam energy charges all known quantities, this curve can readily be calculated, and one can see at a glance the limiting economical percentage of steam power for the given conditions.