Ontario Power Generation

High Falls Station

Construction of the High Falls generating station began in December 1918. The average number of workers employed on the site during construction amounted to 150, rising to 250 during times of peak activity.

The Hydroelectric Power Commission, which oversaw construction of the station, experienced trouble during the first year in securing workers due to the war. During the winter months of 1918-1919, local labour was obtained from farmers and after seeding time commenced, this was replaced by workers secured from Ottawa, Toronto and Montreal.

The station consists of 3 generating units with a total generating capacity of 3 megawatts. High Falls went into service in 1920.

MISCELLANEOUS:
There were many power sites, most of them undeveloped at the time, by the name of High Falls in the province. Among others, there was High Falls on the Madawaska River, High Falls on the north branch of the Muskoka River near Bracebridge and High Falls on the York River near Bancroft. It was for this reason that the development became known as High Falls of the Rideau System. When the Commission finally decided to make a development at this point, negotiations were taken up with the owner, Mr. G. Arthur Burgess of Carleton Place. After some difficulty on the part of the owner in giving a clear title to the water power, negotiations were concluded.

The odd configuration of two generators per turbine on units two and three was not a matter of the design at the time, but was due to the fact that practically all of the hydraulic and electrical machinery for this plant was purchased at a low price as used equipment from the Hannawa Falls Power Co. of Potsdam, New York. The Commission took advantage of the securing of this equipment at favourable prices at a time when machinery was costly if purchased new from the manufacturers. It was also at a critical time during the war when the delivery of machinery was also a cause of much worry. The units were singularly adaptable to the High Falls development.