The Irving Turbine and Generator

The Irving Turbine and Generator. . In 1941, with the new United Verde Smelter in Clarkdale coming on line, the demand for power in Yavapai County was more than the Childs generating station, built in 1909, could handle. The Arizona Power Company (TAPCO) and the United Verde Copper Company entered into an agreement for additional power, and TAPCO began construction of the Irving power facility in May 1915. The new powerhouse consisted of a single turbine (large equipment item to the left) and generator (large equipment item to the right) combination. Water, channeled from Fossil Creek and under a pressure of 470 pounds-per-square foot, turned an Allis Chalmers reaction type Francis turbine, rated at 2,100 horsepower at 900 rpm. The turbine was shaft-connected to a General Electric generator rated at 1,600 kilowatts. On April 25, 1916, the plant was placed on line and synchronized with the Child powerhouse. From that point until it’s closing in 2004, the powerhouse produced an average annual output of 10,860,000 kilowatt hours. The Irving power plant had a construction cost in 1916 of $135,000. In 1976, the American society of Mechanical Engineers designated the Childs/Irving plant a National Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark, on of only two in Arizona. The Irving generator was taken off line in 2004 when the plant was closed. Subsequently, arrangements were made between Arizona Public Service and the Jerome State Park for the donation of the generator and its move to Jerome. In October 2009, the generator was placed at the Audrey Headframe Park for public viewing through a permanent loan from the State Park to the Jerome Historical Society.