Mary-Ann (turbine generator)

Mary-Ann was the nickname given to the first steam turbine used in a public utility to generate electricity in America. Hartford Electric Light Company of Hartford, Connecticut, realized an extra demand for electricity in 1900 and decided in 1901 to purchase this steam turbine generator. The turbine, built by Westinghouse and rated at 1.5 megawatts, ran at Hartford Electric's Pearl Street plant from 1901 to 1905.

Connecticut was prosperous at the beginning of the twentieth century. This attracted large populations of people. Many industries developed and needed electricity (whose original use was solely lighting) to run their machinery.

Hartford Electric Light Company of Hartford, Connecticut, realizing this extra demand for electricity decided in 1900 to install a massive three thousand horsepower machine to generate this huge amount of electricity that was needed.

Hartford Electric Light Company (HELCO) ordered in January 1901 a Westinghouse-Parsons type steam turbine built by the Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company in East Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The steam turbine weighed over ninety-thousand pounds so a specifically designed railcar was built to transport it. The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad shipped the steam turbine.

Their steam plant at Pearl Street housed the 45-ton Westinghouse unit that was about 7 feet high and about 7 feet in width. The massive electric generating machine was nicknamed "Mary-Ann". HELCO put the steam turbine into the powerplant in April 1901. It ran at 1,200 rpm, turning a generator that produced two-phase alternating current at 60 Hz and 2,400 V.

The steam turbine electric generator performed as expected, but did have some difficulties at the beginning of installation. These problems were not entirely unexpected because there was no testing of the unit before shipment. Technology was not advanced enough and the manufacturer had no way of fully loading the machine for a thorough test before shipping. One of the troubles that developed when the turbine was in operation was with lubrication. The mechanism around the turbine shaft leaked some oil and came in contact with steam which impaired its lubricating ability.

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