The object of this report is to compare the costs of power generation by the following methods: hydro, coal steam, gas steam, oil steam, gas turbine, and oil and gas diesel.
In the near future additional millions of dollars will be invested in the generation facilities in Alberta to meet an increasing demand for power and to replace worn out and obsolete equipment. It is in the public interest that as full and complete information as possible to be available to guide municipalities, companies and individuals who must bear the responsibility of selecting alternative sources of power.
The report deals only with the costs of generation, and transmission of power from the source to the load center. Hence the cost per unit, given in the report, is only a portion of the total cost of supply to domestic and other users, in that the distribution charges usually form the larger proportion of the total cost. The cost of delivery will obviously depend on the "use factor" of the distribution network and this will be reflected in rural schemes where the capital cost per consuming point is inherently high and the use factor low.
It is anticipated that this report will present a picture of costs and operating experience which, although not providing categorical answers to all questions that may arise, will present some of the many factors of this intricate problem.
Armstrong, D.E. and McClary, R.E. (1952): Analysis of power costs in the Province of Alberta: 1949; Research Council of Alberta, RCA/AGS Information Series 13, 109 p.