Grand Haven Board of Light & Power
1896 - 2010 Historical Timeline

• Grand Haven’s electric utility is created on September 29, 1896 when citizens voted to approve a $10,000 bond issue for its first municipal electrical generator.
• The first “power plant” was a 150-hp steam engine belted to a 100-light 1200 candle power constant arc dynamo and a 75 kw alternating current dynamo. Total cost was $9,985.85
• 1911 - The utility was appraised at a net book value of $25,244.33. Additional equipment was added as needed.
• 1915 - The original steam engine is replaced by a 500 kw turbine and other additions are made.
• 1917 - A 1000 kw turbine and boiler are installed. 1924 - Work begins on construction of a new boiler room and the addition of a new 1500 kw
• turbine, boiler, and other improvements. Total project costs $110,356.
• 1927 - Additional equipment is installed, consisting of a 500-hp boiler and stoker, a water softening system, boiler feed pumps, and a complete coal conveying system at a cost of $54,589.
• 1929 - In response to system growth, the City begins constructing a diesel generator plant. Work was suspended temporarily in early 1930 when Consumers Power Company offers $1,200,000 for the system. The offer is turned down in a heated election by a vote of 1,645 to 919. A Board of Public Works is created during the same election.
• 1930 - Construction of the diesel plant resumes after April election, and two 1150-hp DeLaVergne 6-cylinder engines connected to 800 kw Elliot generators with direct connect exciters are purchased and installed. The complete project cost $217,000.
• 1934 - A third identical DeLaVergne diesel engine is installed at a cost of $82,000.
• 1937 - In an effort to stay ahead of load growth the diesel plant is expanded and a fourth engine is installed. This is a 2250-hp Nordberg engine. The purchase is financed in part by a WPA federal government loan. The project cost approximately $200,000.
• 1938 - The utility implements the first of four consecutive annual rate reductions.
• 1939 - The utility again reduces its electric rates, this time retroactively and gives all customers a free month of electricity by marking all April 15 through May 15 electric bills “Paid.”
• 1941 - Continued load growth requires a fifth diesel engine, (Nordberg #2 engine) with 3850-hp, to be installed.
• 1947 - A sixth engine is installed, (Nordberg #6 engine) similar in size to the fifth.
• 1950 - A nine-cylinder Nordberg diesel (engine #7) is installed, at that time one of the largest diesel engines built in the United States. With the addition of this engine, the Grand Haven Diesel Plant is the largest municipal diesel plant in the nation.
• Grand Haven Board of Light & Power
• 1896 - 2010 Historical Timeline
• Also in 1950 - the BLP installs two smaller General Motors engines in the diesel plant basement. These were Navy surplus engines from submarines or landing craft. The installation is required by an explosion in load growth.
• 1952 - The Grand Haven Diesel Plant has a combined generating capability of 16,430 kilowatts produced by engines totaling 23,170 horse power.
• 1954 - The utility completes a $1.5 million 3-year expansion project that boosts the plant’s horse power to more than 26,000, replacing the aging 1934 DeLaVergne engine #5 with a ten-cylindar Nordberg.
• 1959 - Construction begins on the Sims Generating Station, Units I and II on Harbor Island. These identical coal-fired high pressure condensing units are capable of producing 10 MW each. Designed by Lutz & May and built by general contractor Elzinga & Volkers, the units are stoker fed and have high pressure Elliott turbines. The plant cost $4.95 million and is completed in 1961.
• 1980 - construction begins on the Sims Generating Station, Unit III, a 65 MW coal-fired power plant. The plant and its environmental protection equipment cost $88.5 million. Commercial operation is achieved in 1983. The unit is the first in the nation with a long-term contract to sell commercial grade gypsum produced as a byproduct of its emission control system.
• 1986 - Sims Units I and II are retired from service due to economic and environmental issues. 2004 Sims Unit 3 installed second generation low Nox burners from Advanced Burner
• Technologies reducing emissions by 50%.
• 2006 Sims Unit 3 upgrades the boiler, turbine, and auxiliaries from a nominal 65 MW generator capacity to 80 MW.
• 2009 Sims Unit 3 installed selective non catalytic reduction (SNCR) for an additional 30% reduction in Nox.
• Currently, the Grand Haven Board of Light & Power can generate 21 MW net of electricity at its Diesel Plant and 73 MW net of electricity at its Sims Generating Station Unit 3.

Current Utility Statistics