This run-of-the-river plant is a typical example of late nineteenth-century small-scale (750 kilowatt) low-head hydroelectric power technology. The Fries Manufacturing and Power Company began operating the Idol's Station on April 18, 1898, making it the first commercial hydroelectric plant in North Carolina involving long-distance power transmission, fourteen-miles distance at 10,000 volts. Idol's was an important power source for transportation, lighting, and industry in the Winston-Salem area.
Water
YearAdded:
Image Credit:
Courtesy ASME
Image Caption:
Idols Station, Fries Manufacturing & Power Company
Era_date_from:
1898
1984
Innovations
