~ SMUGGLER-UNION HYDROELECTRIC POWER PLANT ~
The Smuggler-Union Hydroelectric Powerplant, also known as the Bridal Veil Powerhouse, is located next to Bridal Veil Falls on a 4,900-foot cliff overlooking Telluride, Colorado. It was built to power the Smuggler-Union Mine 2,000 feet below in 1907, providing alternating current for industrial purposes. It operated in its original configuration until 1953, serving the Idarado Mining Company. As of 2012, the plant generates approximately 2,000 megawatt hours a year – enough electricity to power about 2,000 average American homes. The structure is 2-1/2 stories on a poured concrete foundation with a wood frame superstructure. It is irregular in plan, with the main power plant building, a 1-1/2 story residence and a 1-story cookhouse. The Smuggler-Union Powerplant was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 27, 1979.
Uploaded on August 09, 2014