PRESS RELEASE

Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
June 20, 2006
Ernie Maas - Vice President Engineering and Operations Edison Sault Electric Company - 906-632-5175

Edison Sault Electric Company’s Hydro Plant Tour

Edison Sault Electric Company will host self-guided tours at its hydroelectric plant on Friday June 30.   The tours will begin at the east end of the hydro plant near Alford Park and will run from 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.  The tours are in conjunction with Engineer’s Day at the Soo Locks - U.S. Corps of Engineers – Department of the Army in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan .

Edison Sault’s hydro plant is the longest horizontal shaft hydroelectric plant in existence. The structure is a quarter of a mile long, with the power canal providing the water to run it being 2 ¼ miles long.  The facility is constructed of stone and steel; much of the red sandstone that was used was excavated from the power canal during its construction. Additional stone from the excavation was used on other local landmarks scattered throughout the City of Sault Ste. Marie .

Visitors may enjoy photo displays of the construction of the facility, developed from the original glass negatives used in the early 1900’s.  A video presentation and self-guided tours will be featured as well.  ESE personnel will be on-hand to answer questions.

The tour will also include Lake Superior State University ’s Aquatics Laboratory in the hydro plant’s east end.  In conjunction with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, the Aquatics Lab performs fresh water research and plants numerous species of game fish in the St. Marys River . 

Representatives from Lake State ’s Aquatics Lab will be on hand to answer questions about the research lab.  

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Last modified: June 22, 2006