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@DAMIAN WAGNER all hydroelectric generators are direct current dum dum it is then inverted into alternating current so it can reach your house if you tried to use ac current you would kill everything in the lake
I'm Portuguese and my grandmother have worked in that place for many years. This was the very first portuguese hydroelectric power plant and construction begin in 1908 finishing in 1922. Till recent years it was still used partially as part of storage and distribution of electricity into the grid.
It's sad to hear of scrappers destroying these beautiful and historic places.. Makes me appreciate the ones that have turned int museums and have tours
@@Quellems Better to have them turned into museums etc., than be just preserved and left empty, with no other use, but to wait for explorers and eventually - vandals - to come. Also, without money or purpose to truly preserve them, they will not be taken care of for future generations to see. Museum use protects these buildings better than security guards or explorers do.
@@Quellems Ruin what experience? To see a building turning into a ruin? The preservation of a building in an unvandalized state with its interiors and stories intact, so that future generations *have* a location to experience and appreciate in person, and a space to share with people long gone...is far more important than the "experience" of few explorers (or their viewers) who are respectful to the property. It's even more important than the experience of people who don't care to just take memories and leave only footprints. If it was only respectful explorers who were getting in, then museumization of these places would not be necessary. I highly appreciate these videos for preserving cultural heritage into a video form. Nobody is taking care of the buildings, so at least someone is making a record of the spaces and buildings, before they are gone...or bulldozed to make way for an Amazon warehouse. But if someone were to take the buildings and turn them into a museum or using them for something else, that would be better. Because the buildings were built to be used, not to be locations where you can go experience "life after people".
I do not understand by a place like this would not still be in use. I can certainly understand building and using a more modern and efficient hydroelectric but unless it was seriously interfering with the wildlife or causing pollution problems, the more power the better.
@@spongebobsqueeze Probably too expensive and work intensive to run for the power output compared to more modern, more automated facilities. An old-fashioned plant like that would require a lot of skilled workers to run and maintain.
these plants are thousands of years old the ones the Freemasons didn't disable and scrap from 1800-1900 were switched on for a while for the fake industrial revolution. Doesn't it occur to people that they should be turned back on and should never have been turned off ?? it will probably be local communities that should do this and write some laws to protect the areas.
@@Murgoh Expensive and work intensive how? These would have required almost zero maintenance. Unless you are ramping it up and down, which is why the ancients had batteries in all the forts. Anybody could run this thing
@@TheCabinfever1977 yeah, I think they are thinking just that-that it is okay to steal others property as long as it’s valuable enough and no one is watching. Quite sad.
@@TheCabinfever1977 If they cared they'd have cameras or people surveilling the building. The owners are probably happy that scrappers are doing the dirty job, because getting rid of anything that contains just traces of asbestos can be a massive money pit nowadays. Thank legislation for making any work or maintenance on these machines practically impossible.
I'm always blown away with how much style was put into these old power plants! In everything, the floors, the walls, the machinery. the railings and stairs. A fabulously executed visual feast for the eyes, excuse me while I take the tour a second time and try and take it all in :-D
it honestly feels more welcoming to workers that way. with a more homey/peaceful working environment with peaceful pastel colors instead of an industrialized metal grey.
It's a Tartaryan power plant, meaning we didn't build it, it is from when the USA was known as Great Tartarya, and we had better start re activating these old plants because they were built hundreds of years ago and will need them again.
Yeah, in those days electricity was the new technology and the people who worked with it were the tech workers of their era. Power plants were considered the height of modernity and were emblems of the forward progress of humanity, and were decorated accordingly.
@@michaelimbesi2314 In those days power plants were already very old and being removed by the Freemasons.... nothing was wired it was all wireless, if you look at the photos those ugly poles with wires on them doesn't match the buildings for style at all. Had to attach meters to them, Mr. Rockefeller
Excellent Video! I am a Hydro Electric Engineer working on many of these style of units! They are correct, many different OEM units there, Russian, German, Swiss, USA! Fun to see the original mechanical flyball governors. Many of these style units are upgraded by now, but there are still some out there running from around 1900 unchanged. I work for one of the companies listed in the Video. It would be fun to see if I can dig up some original drawings for this equipment. Great find and video documentation. I try to collect old drawings of much of this equipment in my spare time. If anyone has any questions about how any of it works, ASK!
Hey Proper People, I have a request. If an electrical enclosure or control cabinet is de-energized it would be amazing to see the inside. I would love to see the care and style that electricians of the day used to wire them up. It truly is an art form and I have been so curious what that specific slice of history looks like. BTW you guys are amazing keep it up!
That would have been done by a real electricians unlike todays multi craft technician that isn't a pro in anything. They were paid top scale pay and turned out some of the best work and visually pleasing to the eye. Most had data plates with the technicians name on them. They were proud of their work.
@@MrTonyPiscatelle There are still competent electricians that know what they are doing. Rose tinted glasses. Their work underpins all the shit around us that works, regardless of the lack of fancy nameplates.
Not a good idea, no offence but both of these guys or their pals are knowledgeable in any way in electric related things, in those old places often there are lack or missing LOTO security on existing operating connections and there is high degree of probability something can be on. They could do this if they would have measuring/safety equipment. Sometimes they don't even have masks where there is obvious damage to lungs or potential chemical fumes, so it's unlikely they will have necessary security electrical equipment. They seem to follow this rule and don't touch what is potential danger.
Those things you referred to at the 12 minute mark are connecting linkage between the governor and the wicket gates that allow water flow into the turbine. The governor opens and closes those wickets based upon the speed of the machine.
@@unclemonster48 similar to guide vanes that encircle the turbine case. Kind of like vertically oriented Venetian blinds that open and close to guide water into the scroll case to allow more or less water flow. They are typically operated by a hydraulic cylinder that is controlled by the turbine governor.
Wow, this place seems like something out of a dream. The colors, the amount of empty space, the fact that there is close to none vandalism and its just the small amount natural decay. It almost feels like the whole place could just come back to life at any second! Great video!
Sometimes when places are closing they will strip pumps etc to reuse at nearby plants because almost immediately after they stop running rust will take over and prevent them from being operational in the future. That could be the case with some of the equipment in the video, such as around the 10:00 min mark. I add this as someone currently working in wastewater that’s seen this happen in our local systems, because new gear is insanely expensive.
I think it’s sooo cool how even industrial plants were given period architectural detail as seen in this video. Most if not all of these types of settings weren’t skimmed over on detail, showing the character of people back in that time.
14:14 That box is written "Labelec". It's a division of a Portuguese energy company called EDP (Energia de Portugal). It's responsible for the preventive maintenance of this hydroelectric plant. This company also supplies energy to my state, São Paulo, Brazil.
@@upstatelee18 big surprise. The entitled rude angry people of America are more destructive and happy of vandalism than a lot of other places it seems.
I'm thankful you can preserve places like this in photography...they don't make 'em like they used to. The circular mechanisms on top of the turbine housings are the actuator links that connect to the wicket gates, which control the flow of water into the turbine.
Hydro plants are quite amazing due to all the complex engineering involved. About the empty space at 5:11 - here in my country there's a hydro plant called "Cerrón Grande" which was originally planned to house four generators but was later reduced to only two due to miscalculations, so now there are just the huge empty spaces left beside the operational units. It may be possible that this was the case here, or it was just simply decomissioned / removed at some point.
That's the Ponte de Barca original station - the much bigger station at Alto Lindoso Dam made it kind of obsolete around 1992, but it was kept maintained as a backup and secondary station, I think. Which explains why it's in such good shape - it hasn't been totally abandoned, or if it is, it hasn't been for very long.
Amazing how pristine the place was, I work in a 100-year-old building and we have more grime and peeling paint than that! And it was last painted less than 10 years ago! Considering how polished some of those panels were I wouldn't be surprised if there was someone who came through every once in a while. Maybe it's not used for generating power anymore, but it's still a part of the power grid?
With so many interesting places you two have been to over the years, perhaps one day you should consider publishing a coffee table book, with a bunch of the most interesting places, or perhaps places that you have made videos about that are no longer around anymore. Kind of a way to preserve history, as well as be a neat alternative income stream if the book does well. Even e-books!🙂
That is insanely well preserved. It at times looks like the workers just stepped out for a break. There is something cool about decay but something equally cool about something preserved, looking as it did when still occupied.
Woodward in Rockford!! That's my back yard!! Home to so much industry in that time period. Sad how it's pretty much a shadow of itself. Super cool explore guys. Well done as always.
Holy shit guys I'm from Rockford IL an used to work for Woodward wow this is crazy I'm a huge fan of ur guys work keep the amazing work u guys do love it
This was absolutely fantastic! As usual your beautiful style of filming and editing made this a complete joy to watch. Such beautiful machinery, architecture, design and scenery here. Unexpectedly I found it incredibly relaxing too! I think the beauty of the place along with the background sounds made for an incredibly peaceful video ❤️
The lever things on the turbine are nozzle speed controls that control RPM. The Woodward governor actuates or moves the nozzle ring. I love any videos on old power plants.
I so appreciate "The Proper People" for showing us these places. I don't have the time, energy or ability to go to these places and I probably never will. It is sad that so many abandoned places get destroyed by vandals, looters, scrappers etc. I will never get bored watching videos from abandoned places and the fact that I do not have to go anywhere or do anything is a big bonus. We would never get to see most of these places if we did not have sites like CZcams etc. Thanks for another great video.
with all the craziness going on in world, these videos help me escape for a while. I know i've said it many times before but THANK you so much, once again! i always drop what I'm doing and run to watch your videos when I get notified! :)
The pride that was put into construction back that really speaks for itself time and time again. Does it seem that the exploration sites seem less disturbed when they are abroad? I really enjoyed this one.
Really nice video. The first room you went through seemed uncommonly clean and swept. To have an open window above, there’s no leaves or debris that’s blown in. A lot of the instruments were clean, no spider webs either. It looked great! So interesting to see those old machine brands.
Thanks for the great video. As a former docent at the Bonneville Lock & Dam and the Folsom Historic Powerhouse I recognize much of what you showed. Incidentally, the bell cranks around the periphery of the turbines moved the wicket gates. They regulate the water flow and are controlled by the governor. Woodward made the governors at Bonneville Dam as well. Thanks for showing the control room gauges. That is the heart of the powerhouse.
I can't believe i've never heard of this place, especially in the surprizingly immaculate conditon it's in, many thanks to you guys for showing it off. Greetings from Portugal! Edit: I guess Sorefame built the metal armatures for the generators, they were a metal workers company who built rolling stock for Portugal's railways that still runs to this day.
I live in Green Bay wi and have worked at a paper mill owned by Georgia pacific which was over 120 years old called “Day street” The mill just shut down last year and i can’t wait to see if they explore this place especially since there was a murder that took place at this specific mill in the pulper tank in the 90’s which I worked by and on many times! This would be Soo cool!
Probably stopped generating power in 1989 but the site was still connected to the grid, which is why there are still insulators and paperwork from later years. We have a big old telephone exchange building in our neighborhood built in the early 70s. It was already defunct by the mid 80s but it's still there and it's still maintained. No one has actually worked there since the 80s. I know someone who works at British Telecom and they said there are thousands of places like it all over the country, just big empty buildings that used to be full of equipment. All of that can now fit in a shoe box, but they maintain the buildings because they're secure conduit hubs or maintenance points.
Thanks guys for another great video!!! Your attention to details, staircase, floors, ceiling gaging equipment is such a sensitive and heart felt touch!! As always, amazing job!!!
I think if I had to travel back in time, I'd work in an old school power plant like this one, back before modern design made everything look the same. Just to have that knowledge of running the whole plant is cool alone.
Magnificent. To consider the effort and planning, design and construction required to put this piece of machinery (plural) into motion is astounding. Then to see it abandoned and sitting silently giving witness to an era long since passed is simply awesome. It's unfortunate to see vandals damaging and stealing, but that aside, there is always a beauty in the ruin and decay. Thank you for sharing.
8:00 These are horizontally-oriented Francis turbines. The scroll case focuses water on the center where the turbine is impacted by water all around and discharges the water sideways from the center (rightmost in these frames) . 10:29 These are the cranks that control the angle of the wicket gates. You see this sort of horizontally-oriented configuration in smaller hydro plants. These were likely the first units in this plant. 11:38 Those are wicket gate cranks. Wicket gates are like vertical blinds that open such as to allow an even flow of water to impact the turbine all around. The turbine here is likely to be a Francis type (these look like a squirrel-cage fan). The huge rods rotate a ring to which all the wicket gate cranks are connected; this is to move all the blades at the same angle. Anyway, wicket gates can be controlled manually as when maintenance must be done and during grid synch-up, after which the speed governer controls the degree to which the wicket gates are opened so as to keep the generated power in (frequency) sync with the grid at load. 11:12 While this might be a Kaplan turbine (which looks like a ship's propeller), I think all these are Francis turbines because when I found this plant online, I saw long and high penstocks feeding it: Francis turbines are efficient with high-pressure water at relatively low flow volume. Meanwhile, Kaplan turbine are suited to low pressure, high flow volume water such as seen in run-of-river hydro plants. From some research, I think this is the Antiga Central Hydroeléctrica de Lindosa, Portugal's first hydroelectric power plant.
I'm from the suburb between Albany and Schenectady, so whenever I see GE's nameplate with Schenectady boldly mentioned in your videos, I get so proud! 8:49
This place coming straight out of sci fi movie. Everything still intact and look awesome! Especially the generators. I love looking at old machinery, and wonders how the work scene back then, and how they actually build it by hand, blew my mind. In my country, most of these old power plant has long gone. Especially that control room. With the most wiring and stuff. Always got stolen and vandalised.
Those “things” you were talking about are variable vanes for the turbine to change the “AR” size of the turbine depending on flow/motor rpm. Diesel engines use the same type of technology today. Great video man, thanks for the upload!
In my country many old hydroelectric generating stations are still in use, over 100 years old. They are well maintained but cannot be modified or upgraded because of environmental regulations. Horseshoe dam went in service in 1911 and still generates average of 84000MWh per year. It is a very beautiful place, your video reminds me of my visit there.
This power plant seems to utilize two types of water turbines, Kaplan and Francis, the ones looking like big turbos are Francis type with adjustable guide vanes, although they seem very old given the generator is a dc machine, the shaft driven ones are most likely Kaplan with the exception of 11:25 one which has vanes thus its a Francis unit. 8:49 that's not the exciter, but rather the commutator linking the rotor assembly with the machine's output, the excitation winding is on the stator alongside the auxiliary winding and compensation windings. That machine is a 42kw unit
I would guess the floodgates are still active for the dam, and the maintenance line and remotes are still active for control. Likely someone checks on the place at least once a month, but generation has long since ceased. It is possible some of the units might be considered reserves, but I doubt it. I have seen plants like that myself and once the new dam is put in, they tend to use places like this for parts and storage. Awesome video!
I want to know the same thing my best guess is a pipe that was used to transport the water to the turbines broke and created a sink hole there now where we see water shooting up now is my guess could be wrong
Thanks for the GREAT videos of the old power plants. All those little arms around the turbines are " control arms " that are moved by the Governor. Each little arm moves a door inside the turbine housing called a " wicket gate" . They surround the turbine wheel and control water flow too the wheel....thus controlling speed.
Just wanted to point out that you missed a crucial piece of the power plant. You are looking at the generators and the outflow to the river. Note in the beginning of the video the large concrete pipes heading up the steep hillside. Those are the penstocks which bring water to the turbines from an intake diversion or impoundment located on the river at a much higher elevation. Looks to be a total of 5 penstocks, for a total of 5 possible turbines. The original generators would have been ont he lower level. The center units between the generator and the turbine (and all of the little belts) are most likely the governor units which control the generator speed, and hence the frequency of the AC output. The upper level units appear to be of newer design. All appear to be designed for high pressure and low volume. As you transition to lower head pressure and larger volume, the turbines tend to get larger in a hurry. As far as the missing units go, I've seen US dams built in the 1930's and 40's that were designed for future turbines have areas "blanked" off in the floor, with plain steel covers rather than the tile or polished concrete used for the rest of the floor. Basically, the penstock and valves are installed, but the rest is semi-finished to the point where the turbine and generator can be installed. Conduits, cable ducts, pads for equipment, etc. are all in place and waiting. As far as power being available in the control room, my guess is that the original switchyard connected to the much newer-looking distribution switchyard further up the hill. They most likely ran a feed into the distribution yard from a newer generation facility, then started shedding load from this facility over to the newer one as they brought capacity online. Funny thing about old dams and generators, if constructed and maintained properly they really don't get old and become unusable. On the Columbia River in WA state, 2 began producing electricity in the 1930's, Grand Coulee in 1941, 3 in the 50's, 5 in the 60's, with the last being John Day Dam in 1971. On the Snake River in WA/ID, there are about 15 dams. Most of these are what would be considered small for the region, ranging from 22.6 MW to 932 MW. Swan Falls is the oldest, going into production in 1901, with the generators finally being replaced in 1990. Our region also has a nuclear power plant, Columbia Generating Station, which went into commercial operation in 1984, has an output of 1216 MW and provides about 10% of the electricity for WA state. Mentioned with the dams because the the Columbia River provides the cooling water for the facility. On a historical note, B-Reactor is just a few miles upstream. B-reactor was built during the Manhattan Project, and produced the Plutonium for both the Trinity Device and the "Fat Man" device detonated over Nagasaki Japan on 9 Aug 1945. Be-reactor is now a museum with both self-led and docent tours.
That looks like a small hydro plant i know of in a small town here in my state. :) down to the look of the building and the surrounding greenery. Not nearly as big though and not as big a switchyard
Okay, so hear this out; the water pressurized pipe near the beginning, the place is assembled, the lit up antenna box…. Is it just me or could the plant perhaps been modernized? installed some kind of remote back up turn on? 😮 glad y’all didn’t find out but what a video that would’ve been!
I live in the city that the Woodward Governor machinery was made. If you haven't been here for any urbex, you should come. There's several abandoned factories. The most known one is probably Barber-Colman. There's also lots of abandoned houses and secret tunnels under the city from WW2, I believe.
What a beautiful place and such good shape. Love it. Could never get sick of watching these classic power plants. With all the details from the old time frames. You would never see a place like this built today.
11:39 these are the variable stator vanes, all linked together to a mechanism controlled by the speed-load governor. By manipulating them, you could control the speed-load of the turbine.
The two of you, are far and away, the best UE group I've come across on You Tube. I do enjoy looking over your shoulder as you explore all of these abandoned relics. You two boys have definitely found your, "niche in life."
They must still use this plant as a peaker plant , only running it when demand is high and the PF is high making it cost effective to run the small asset. Here on the Gulf Coast up until the late 90s there were dozens of Peakers that would run from like 8am to 8pm April to October, and on the days between then when it was HOT , or one of the main units were down on production
To answer your question at 11:36, those are called wicket gates. And their purpose is to control water flow to the turbine. They are all connected together and operate much like a vertical shutter blind. You will see these on all hydro powered generators.
It's almost like seeing an alien world, just a century ago when there was pride in literally everything made. All things contained art, and care, everything was intentional. Profits mattered, but they weren't the only important element. Sure we can all buy a 60" 4K television for a couple hundred bucks now, but the craft is long lost. I'm not even sure we as a civilization could design, engineer and produce things like this anymore.
Great video. I love old infrastructure. They used to put a lot of style and quality workmanship into these old buildings. The little arms on the turbines control the wickets inside. They are used to regulate the speed of the turbine to produce the desired frequency.
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Why don't you guys explore the old kieser aluminum plant in Spokane Washington???
_"Frankly Scarlett, I don't give a hydroelectric power plant!"_
@DAMIAN WAGNER all hydroelectric generators are direct current dum dum it is then inverted into alternating current so it can reach your house if you tried to use ac current you would kill everything in the lake
@@09mxrider I think this electric plant should be shut off forever
Y’all can do as many power stations as you want, I’ll never get sick of watching them
These old power plant exploration videos are my favorite of theirs
@@inazuma1These and the steel Mills 🤌👌
The man above is spittin
This one in particular is pretty dope i wish i had the money to travel down there in Portugal 🇵🇹
Yea!
I'm Portuguese and my grandmother have worked in that place for many years. This was the very first portuguese hydroelectric power plant and construction begin in 1908 finishing in 1922. Till recent years it was still used partially as part of storage and distribution of electricity into the grid.
The place should be protected…
It's sad to hear of scrappers destroying these beautiful and historic places.. Makes me appreciate the ones that have turned int museums and have tours
better to have people preserve them than turn them into museums. Museums make boundaries, and boundaries suck for explorers.
True, and museums sometimes charge
@@Quellems Better to have them turned into museums etc., than be just preserved and left empty, with no other use, but to wait for explorers and eventually - vandals - to come. Also, without money or purpose to truly preserve them, they will not be taken care of for future generations to see. Museum use protects these buildings better than security guards or explorers do.
@@lenajesse and museums ruin the experience. Museums are literally a s s
@@Quellems Ruin what experience? To see a building turning into a ruin?
The preservation of a building in an unvandalized state with its interiors and stories intact, so that future generations *have* a location to experience and appreciate in person, and a space to share with people long gone...is far more important than the "experience" of few explorers (or their viewers) who are respectful to the property. It's even more important than the experience of people who don't care to just take memories and leave only footprints. If it was only respectful explorers who were getting in, then museumization of these places would not be necessary.
I highly appreciate these videos for preserving cultural heritage into a video form. Nobody is taking care of the buildings, so at least someone is making a record of the spaces and buildings, before they are gone...or bulldozed to make way for an Amazon warehouse. But if someone were to take the buildings and turn them into a museum or using them for something else, that would be better. Because the buildings were built to be used, not to be locations where you can go experience "life after people".
The architecture of this place is incredible ! They knew how to make powerplants in the 1920’s. Love them !
I do not understand by a place like this would not still be in use. I can certainly understand building and using a more modern and efficient hydroelectric but unless it was seriously interfering with the wildlife or causing pollution problems, the more power the better.
@@spongebobsqueeze Probably too expensive and work intensive to run for the power output compared to more modern, more automated facilities. An old-fashioned plant like that would require a lot of skilled workers to run and maintain.
*insert PG&E joke*
Seriously we have lost so much power this year.
these plants are thousands of years old the ones the Freemasons didn't disable and scrap from 1800-1900 were switched on for a while for the fake industrial revolution. Doesn't it occur to people that they should be turned back on and should never have been turned off ?? it will probably be local communities that should do this and write some laws to protect the areas.
@@Murgoh Expensive and work intensive how? These would have required almost zero maintenance. Unless you are ramping it up and down, which is why the ancients had batteries in all the forts. Anybody could run this thing
Certainly one of best preserved power plants you visited. Predictable-but disappointing that scrappers have gone after the place. Nice job guys.
over $10,000 in copper per motor, i don't know what the scrappers are thinking...
@@TheCabinfever1977 yeah, I think they are thinking just that-that it is okay to steal others property as long as it’s valuable enough and no one is watching. Quite sad.
@@TheCabinfever1977 If they cared they'd have cameras or people surveilling the building. The owners are probably happy that scrappers are doing the dirty job, because getting rid of anything that contains just traces of asbestos can be a massive money pit nowadays. Thank legislation for making any work or maintenance on these machines practically impossible.
I'm always blown away with how much style was put into these old power plants! In everything, the floors, the walls, the machinery. the railings and stairs. A fabulously executed visual feast for the eyes, excuse me while I take the tour a second time and try and take it all in :-D
it honestly feels more welcoming to workers that way. with a more homey/peaceful working environment with peaceful pastel colors instead of an industrialized metal grey.
It's a Tartaryan power plant, meaning we didn't build it, it is from when the USA was known as Great Tartarya, and we had better start re activating these old plants because they were built hundreds of years ago and will need them again.
Yeah, in those days electricity was the new technology and the people who worked with it were the tech workers of their era. Power plants were considered the height of modernity and were emblems of the forward progress of humanity, and were decorated accordingly.
@@michaelimbesi2314 In those days power plants were already very old and being removed by the Freemasons.... nothing was wired it was all wireless, if you look at the photos those ugly poles with wires on them doesn't match the buildings for style at all. Had to attach meters to them, Mr. Rockefeller
It's the same way with the "old" Canadian Niagara Power Building: It looks like a TEMPLE!
I think in years to come your videos will be considered some of the more valuable videos ever made.
I have always thought the same
Excellent Video! I am a Hydro Electric Engineer working on many of these style of units! They are correct, many different OEM units there, Russian, German, Swiss, USA! Fun to see the original mechanical flyball governors. Many of these style units are upgraded by now, but there are still some out there running from around 1900 unchanged. I work for one of the companies listed in the Video. It would be fun to see if I can dig up some original drawings for this equipment. Great find and video documentation. I try to collect old drawings of much of this equipment in my spare time. If anyone has any questions about how any of it works, ASK!
Where is the location of this please ? I want to visit it BADLY
Hey Proper People, I have a request. If an electrical enclosure or control cabinet is de-energized it would be amazing to see the inside. I would love to see the care and style that electricians of the day used to wire them up. It truly is an art form and I have been so curious what that specific slice of history looks like. BTW you guys are amazing keep it up!
That would have been done by a real electricians unlike todays multi craft technician that isn't a pro in anything. They were paid top scale pay and turned out some of the best work and visually pleasing to the eye. Most had data plates with the technicians name on them. They were proud of their work.
@@MrTonyPiscatelle There are still competent electricians that know what they are doing. Rose tinted glasses. Their work underpins all the shit around us that works, regardless of the lack of fancy nameplates.
Not a good idea, no offence but both of these guys or their pals are knowledgeable in any way in electric related things, in those old places often there are lack or missing LOTO security on existing operating connections and there is high degree of probability something can be on. They could do this if they would have measuring/safety equipment. Sometimes they don't even have masks where there is obvious damage to lungs or potential chemical fumes, so it's unlikely they will have necessary security electrical equipment. They seem to follow this rule and don't touch what is potential danger.
@@BlueZirnitra Worked the trades for over 40 years and I can tell you sir that the majority are not that good and do just enough to get a paycheck
The price of building this would not be possible today.
The power generating stations are always among my favorites. This should be a good one.
@@TheHempHub I thought it was interesting and I liked it. What kind of videos do you prefer?
Those things you referred to at the 12 minute mark are connecting linkage between the governor and the wicket gates that allow water flow into the turbine. The governor opens and closes those wickets based upon the speed of the machine.
Like guide vanes?
@@unclemonster48 similar to guide vanes that encircle the turbine case. Kind of like vertically oriented Venetian blinds that open and close to guide water into the scroll case to allow more or less water flow. They are typically operated by a hydraulic cylinder that is controlled by the turbine governor.
Beautiful building and stunning scenery around it! Awesome
Wow, this place seems like something out of a dream. The colors, the amount of empty space, the fact that there is close to none vandalism and its just the small amount natural decay. It almost feels like the whole place could just come back to life at any second! Great video!
my love for abandoned places in perfect condition will never change. this is a perfect example of what it is.
You guys still produce the best content in the abandoned genre!
Really enjoy the power plant vids.
@@TheHempHub Who then? Genuinely curious.
Location ,lugar país?????.....
Sometimes when places are closing they will strip pumps etc to reuse at nearby plants because almost immediately after they stop running rust will take over and prevent them from being operational in the future. That could be the case with some of the equipment in the video, such as around the 10:00 min mark.
I add this as someone currently working in wastewater that’s seen this happen in our local systems, because new gear is insanely expensive.
Gotta say, that is the most beautiful power plant I have ever seen. I hope you guys find more power plants to explore.
Hope places like this get preserved like a museum or something.
I think it’s sooo cool how even industrial plants were given period architectural detail as seen in this video. Most if not all of these types of settings weren’t skimmed over on detail, showing the character of people back in that time.
14:14 That box is written "Labelec". It's a division of a Portuguese energy company called EDP (Energia de Portugal). It's responsible for the preventive maintenance of this hydroelectric plant. This company also supplies energy to my state, São Paulo, Brazil.
De nada adianta postar fazer sensacionalismo e não tem informações complementares!!!
This has to be the most pristine abandoned power plant I’ve ever seen! lol. At least out all of the ones they have shown.
This is probably second to the peppermint power plant in terms of how untouched it is.
It seems like a lot of the European locations they go to have a lot less graffiti and destruction than the US locations.
@@upstatelee18 big surprise. The entitled rude angry people of America are more destructive and happy of vandalism than a lot of other places it seems.
I'm thankful you can preserve places like this in photography...they don't make 'em like they used to. The circular mechanisms on top of the turbine housings are the actuator links that connect to the wicket gates, which control the flow of water into the turbine.
Hydro plants are quite amazing due to all the complex engineering involved. About the empty space at 5:11 - here in my country there's a hydro plant called "Cerrón Grande" which was originally planned to house four generators but was later reduced to only two due to miscalculations, so now there are just the huge empty spaces left beside the operational units. It may be possible that this was the case here, or it was just simply decomissioned / removed at some point.
That's the Ponte de Barca original station - the much bigger station at Alto Lindoso Dam made it kind of obsolete around 1992, but it was kept maintained as a backup and secondary station, I think.
Which explains why it's in such good shape - it hasn't been totally abandoned, or if it is, it hasn't been for very long.
Amazing how pristine the place was, I work in a 100-year-old building and we have more grime and peeling paint than that! And it was last painted less than 10 years ago!
Considering how polished some of those panels were I wouldn't be surprised if there was someone who came through every once in a while. Maybe it's not used for generating power anymore, but it's still a part of the power grid?
With so many interesting places you two have been to over the years, perhaps one day you should consider publishing a coffee table book, with a bunch of the most interesting places, or perhaps places that you have made videos about that are no longer around anymore. Kind of a way to preserve history, as well as be a neat alternative income stream if the book does well. Even e-books!🙂
Awesome! Love seeing sites with just some natural decay, no vandalism or graffiti. Power plants are always great. Another good one 👍
That is insanely well preserved. It at times looks like the workers just stepped out for a break. There is something cool about decay but something equally cool about something preserved, looking as it did when still occupied.
if that was in the USA it would be covered in grafiti inside and out
@@neonnoodle1169 You unfortunately aren't wrong. Taggers and urban explorers are natural enemies like brothers and sisters.
Woodward in Rockford!! That's my back yard!! Home to so much industry in that time period. Sad how it's pretty much a shadow of itself. Super cool explore guys. Well done as always.
Holy shit guys I'm from Rockford IL an used to work for Woodward wow this is crazy I'm a huge fan of ur guys work keep the amazing work u guys do love it
The architectural details of the old buildings are so amazing. Thanks for sharing this wonderful power plant.
The wire routing and bundling in the back of that cabinet at at 16:44 soothes my soul.
This was absolutely fantastic! As usual your beautiful style of filming and editing made this a complete joy to watch. Such beautiful machinery, architecture, design and scenery here. Unexpectedly I found it incredibly relaxing too! I think the beauty of the place along with the background sounds made for an incredibly peaceful video ❤️
The lever things on the turbine are nozzle speed controls that control RPM. The Woodward governor actuates or moves the nozzle ring. I love any videos on old power plants.
This is seriously such an awesome video. You are preserving history, keep doing what you are doing.
I so appreciate "The Proper People" for showing us these places. I don't have the time, energy or ability to go to these places and I probably never will. It is sad that so many abandoned places get destroyed by vandals, looters, scrappers etc. I will never get bored watching videos from abandoned places and the fact that I do not have to go anywhere or do anything is a big bonus. We would never get to see most of these places if we did not have sites like CZcams etc. Thanks for another great video.
with all the craziness going on in world, these videos help me escape for a while. I know i've said it many times before but THANK you so much, once again! i always drop what I'm doing and run to watch your videos when I get notified! :)
You know its a great start to the weekend when my proper peeps release a new video to get ridin
The pride that was put into construction back that really speaks for itself time and time again. Does it seem that the exploration sites seem less disturbed when they are abroad? I really enjoyed this one.
Really nice video. The first room you went through seemed uncommonly clean and swept. To have an open window above, there’s no leaves or debris that’s blown in. A lot of the instruments were clean, no spider webs either. It looked great! So interesting to see those old machine brands.
Thanks for the great video. As a former docent at the Bonneville Lock & Dam and the Folsom Historic Powerhouse I recognize much of what you showed. Incidentally, the bell cranks around the periphery of the turbines moved the wicket gates. They regulate the water flow and are controlled by the governor. Woodward made the governors at Bonneville Dam as well. Thanks for showing the control room gauges. That is the heart of the powerhouse.
I can't believe i've never heard of this place, especially in the surprizingly immaculate conditon it's in, many thanks to you guys for showing it off. Greetings from Portugal!
Edit: I guess Sorefame built the metal armatures for the generators, they were a metal workers company who built
rolling stock for Portugal's railways that still runs to this day.
What a fascinating place,amazing engineering back in 30's
I live in Green Bay wi and have worked at a paper mill owned by Georgia pacific which was over 120 years old called “Day street” The mill just shut down last year and i can’t wait to see if they explore this place especially since there was a murder that took place at this specific mill in the pulper tank in the 90’s which I worked by and on many times! This would be Soo cool!
Probably stopped generating power in 1989 but the site was still connected to the grid, which is why there are still insulators and paperwork from later years. We have a big old telephone exchange building in our neighborhood built in the early 70s. It was already defunct by the mid 80s but it's still there and it's still maintained. No one has actually worked there since the 80s. I know someone who works at British Telecom and they said there are thousands of places like it all over the country, just big empty buildings that used to be full of equipment. All of that can now fit in a shoe box, but they maintain the buildings because they're secure conduit hubs or maintenance points.
Thanks guys for another great video!!!
Your attention to details, staircase, floors, ceiling gaging equipment is such a sensitive and heart felt touch!!
As always, amazing job!!!
Those control room gauges were stunning! Made by Swiss Precision Tool Masters!
I think if I had to travel back in time, I'd work in an old school power plant like this one, back before modern design made everything look the same. Just to have that knowledge of running the whole plant is cool alone.
Yall just keep em coming and we will come watch!
Wow I love these kind of buildings❤ You are awesone guys! Never stop it please😊
Magnificent. To consider the effort and planning, design and construction required to put this piece of machinery (plural) into motion is astounding. Then to see it abandoned and sitting silently giving witness to an era long since passed is simply awesome. It's unfortunate to see vandals damaging and stealing, but that aside, there is always a beauty in the ruin and decay. Thank you for sharing.
Absolutely 💯 AWESOME!!
Love y’all’s videos. Y’all do such a great job
You guys are amazing love when a new video comes out We luv em! Keep it up!
You guys are doing awesome.. exploring the abandoned, and documenting the remains. Always enjoy your vids the best.
I really enjoyed this episode. Didn't even feel like 20mins. I could have looked at more of it! Beautifully preserved building.
Thank you Michael and Bryan Gor posting this video on those classic Hydro generation station love those classic Hydro turbines
At 11:40, I'm pretty sure you were looking at speed regulating clutches or something like that. This is absolutely beautiful footage boys!
8:00 These are horizontally-oriented Francis turbines. The scroll case focuses water on the center where the turbine is impacted by water all around and discharges the water sideways from the center (rightmost in these frames) . 10:29 These are the cranks that control the angle of the wicket gates. You see this sort of horizontally-oriented configuration in smaller hydro plants. These were likely the first units in this plant.
11:38 Those are wicket gate cranks. Wicket gates are like vertical blinds that open such as to allow an even flow of water to impact the turbine all around. The turbine here is likely to be a Francis type (these look like a squirrel-cage fan). The huge rods rotate a ring to which all the wicket gate cranks are connected; this is to move all the blades at the same angle. Anyway, wicket gates can be controlled manually as when maintenance must be done and during grid synch-up, after which the speed governer controls the degree to which the wicket gates are opened so as to keep the generated power in (frequency) sync with the grid at load.
11:12 While this might be a Kaplan turbine (which looks like a ship's propeller), I think all these are Francis turbines because when I found this plant online, I saw long and high penstocks feeding it: Francis turbines are efficient with high-pressure water at relatively low flow volume. Meanwhile, Kaplan turbine are suited to low pressure, high flow volume water such as seen in run-of-river hydro plants.
From some research, I think this is the Antiga Central Hydroeléctrica de Lindosa, Portugal's first hydroelectric power plant.
I'm from the suburb between Albany and Schenectady, so whenever I see GE's nameplate with Schenectady boldly mentioned in your videos, I get so proud! 8:49
This place coming straight out of sci fi movie. Everything still intact and look awesome! Especially the generators. I love looking at old machinery, and wonders how the work scene back then, and how they actually build it by hand, blew my mind.
In my country, most of these old power plant has long gone. Especially that control room. With the most wiring and stuff. Always got stolen and vandalised.
Yay, time for decay !
Thanks for the helpful progress bar during the promotional ad.
Those “things” you were talking about are variable vanes for the turbine to change the “AR” size of the turbine depending on flow/motor rpm. Diesel engines use the same type of technology today.
Great video man, thanks for the upload!
Awesome video as always Proper People. I always look forward to watching your videos especially the power plants.
Great video as always, nice in 4K and decent editing with great sound. I am looking forward to the next one in the new month 👍
Absolutely beautiful! One of the nicest pieces of equipment was the one seen to the front-right at 12:00; don’t think it was shown in detail!
In my country many old hydroelectric generating stations are still in use, over 100 years old. They are well maintained but cannot be modified or upgraded because of environmental regulations.
Horseshoe dam went in service in 1911 and still generates average of 84000MWh per year. It is a very beautiful place, your video reminds me of my visit there.
This power plant seems to utilize two types of water turbines, Kaplan and Francis, the ones looking like big turbos are Francis type with adjustable guide vanes, although they seem very old given the generator is a dc machine, the shaft driven ones are most likely Kaplan with the exception of 11:25 one which has vanes thus its a Francis unit.
8:49 that's not the exciter, but rather the commutator linking the rotor assembly with the machine's output, the excitation winding is on the stator alongside the auxiliary winding and compensation windings.
That machine is a 42kw unit
I would guess the floodgates are still active for the dam, and the maintenance line and remotes are still active for control. Likely someone checks on the place at least once a month, but generation has long since ceased. It is possible some of the units might be considered reserves, but I doubt it. I have seen plants like that myself and once the new dam is put in, they tend to use places like this for parts and storage. Awesome video!
This is so awesome!! I’m a steampunk guy,…and this is rocking my brain!! Thanks boys!!
I hope you can find more abandoned hospitals to explore
I’ve worked in a similar hydro plant in the US. Brown Boveri is now ABB
Wow, very nice. What was that big pit with the water shooting up at about 4:25?
I want to know the same thing my best guess is a pipe that was used to transport the water to the turbines broke and created a sink hole there now where we see water shooting up now is my guess could be wrong
@ 4:33 those floor tiles look like something M.C. Esther would have designed
One of the coolest power station finds. They really do everything so beautifully 100 years ago.
Thanks for the GREAT videos of the old power plants. All those little arms around the turbines are " control arms " that are moved by the Governor. Each little arm moves a door inside the turbine housing called a " wicket gate" . They surround the turbine wheel and control water flow too the wheel....thus controlling speed.
06:23 Many greetings from Baden, Aaragau, Switzerland! 🇨🇭🇨🇭🇨🇭
09:38 And also Escher & Wyss Cie. from Zurich
Just wanted to point out that you missed a crucial piece of the power plant. You are looking at the generators and the outflow to the river. Note in the beginning of the video the large concrete pipes heading up the steep hillside. Those are the penstocks which bring water to the turbines from an intake diversion or impoundment located on the river at a much higher elevation. Looks to be a total of 5 penstocks, for a total of 5 possible turbines.
The original generators would have been ont he lower level. The center units between the generator and the turbine (and all of the little belts) are most likely the governor units which control the generator speed, and hence the frequency of the AC output. The upper level units appear to be of newer design. All appear to be designed for high pressure and low volume. As you transition to lower head pressure and larger volume, the turbines tend to get larger in a hurry.
As far as the missing units go, I've seen US dams built in the 1930's and 40's that were designed for future turbines have areas "blanked" off in the floor, with plain steel covers rather than the tile or polished concrete used for the rest of the floor. Basically, the penstock and valves are installed, but the rest is semi-finished to the point where the turbine and generator can be installed. Conduits, cable ducts, pads for equipment, etc. are all in place and waiting.
As far as power being available in the control room, my guess is that the original switchyard connected to the much newer-looking distribution switchyard further up the hill. They most likely ran a feed into the distribution yard from a newer generation facility, then started shedding load from this facility over to the newer one as they brought capacity online.
Funny thing about old dams and generators, if constructed and maintained properly they really don't get old and become unusable. On the Columbia River in WA state, 2 began producing electricity in the 1930's, Grand Coulee in 1941, 3 in the 50's, 5 in the 60's, with the last being John Day Dam in 1971.
On the Snake River in WA/ID, there are about 15 dams. Most of these are what would be considered small for the region, ranging from 22.6 MW to 932 MW. Swan Falls is the oldest, going into production in 1901, with the generators finally being replaced in 1990.
Our region also has a nuclear power plant, Columbia Generating Station, which went into commercial operation in 1984, has an output of 1216 MW and provides about 10% of the electricity for WA state. Mentioned with the dams because the the Columbia River provides the cooling water for the facility. On a historical note, B-Reactor is just a few miles upstream. B-reactor was built during the Manhattan Project, and produced the Plutonium for both the Trinity Device and the "Fat Man" device detonated over Nagasaki Japan on 9 Aug 1945. Be-reactor is now a museum with both self-led and docent tours.
Very cool. This place should become a museum.
Still just amazes me how ornate and beautiful power plants used to be, sure wish we still put that kind of effort towards what we build nowadays
It amazes me that equipment nearly hundreds of years old appears to be in intact good working condition!
Portugal is such a nice country, great find with this power plant!
The country is a treasure trove of abandoned palaces and very nice homes
That looks like a small hydro plant i know of in a small town here in my state. :) down to the look of the building and the surrounding greenery. Not nearly as big though and not as big a switchyard
Okay, so hear this out; the water pressurized pipe near the beginning, the place is assembled, the lit up antenna box….
Is it just me or could the plant perhaps been modernized? installed some kind of remote back up turn on? 😮
glad y’all didn’t find out but what a video that would’ve been!
Even if things were semi-minimal here, this was still definitely a cool spot to explore, nice video guys!
That control room is CLEANNNN.
I live in the city that the Woodward Governor machinery was made. If you haven't been here for any urbex, you should come. There's several abandoned factories. The most known one is probably Barber-Colman. There's also lots of abandoned houses and secret tunnels under the city from WW2, I believe.
What a beautiful place and such good shape. Love it. Could never get sick of watching these classic power plants. With all the details from the old time frames. You would never see a place like this built today.
11:39 these are the variable stator vanes, all linked together to a mechanism controlled by the speed-load governor. By manipulating them, you could control the speed-load of the turbine.
I always look at the old abandoned building around here in TN I like all of y'all video's this one is very interesting.
The two of you, are far and away, the best UE group I've come across on You Tube. I do enjoy looking over your shoulder as you explore all of these abandoned relics. You two boys have definitely found your, "niche in life."
Seriously! I’d spend 2 weeks here !! Incredible!!
They must still use this plant as a peaker plant , only running it when demand is high and the PF is high making it cost effective to run the small asset. Here on the Gulf Coast up until the late 90s there were dozens of Peakers that would run from like 8am to 8pm April to October, and on the days between then when it was HOT , or one of the main units were down on production
To answer your question at 11:36, those are called wicket gates. And their purpose is to control water flow to the turbine. They are all connected together and operate much like a vertical shutter blind. You will see these on all hydro powered generators.
It's almost like seeing an alien world, just a century ago when there was pride in literally everything made. All things contained art, and care, everything was intentional. Profits mattered, but they weren't the only important element. Sure we can all buy a 60" 4K television for a couple hundred bucks now, but the craft is long lost. I'm not even sure we as a civilization could design, engineer and produce things like this anymore.
@GRAFHC
Before the money.changers took power from us!
Great reverbs for a live band
Great video. I love old infrastructure. They used to put a lot of style and quality workmanship into these old buildings.
The little arms on the turbines control the wickets inside. They are used to regulate the speed of the turbine to produce the desired frequency.
This was pretty cool, very vintage. You guys always find interesting cool places, no matter where you are. :)
Yay new video!!