Edison Sault Electric Company will host self-guided tours at its hydroelectric plant on Friday and Saturday, August 12 and 13. 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. each day. The celebration is in conjunction with the 150th Anniversary of 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.

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, as well as from their Admissions Department, will be on hand to answer questions about LSSU.