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Electric Department History

1890

1st electric service in city of Grand Rapids was in 1890 when a dynamo was installed in the John Arpin residence on the east side. The dynamo also supplied power to the Pioneer Pulp Mill. The site is now occupied by the East Side swimming pool.

1894

Mack & Spencer Pulp Mill on the west side of the river was granted a franchise for an electric light plant designed for a public utility.

1899

Electric and Water company formed. E.P. Arpin was the first president.

1900

Steam electric plant purchased for $14,559.44.

1913

Plant taken over by city for $80,000.

1914

Electric company net income: $3102.00.

1915

The city purchased and took possession of the electric plant of the Grand Rapids Electric Company.

1921

A substation was constructed back of the fire station to serve the East side of the river. This station has since been replaced by the Market and Avon substation.

1989 electric customers; 1,726,789 Kilowatts used.

1934

A new two story brick building was constructed at Third Avenue North and McKinley Street to house the new switching equipment necessary to meet the increasing loads on the West side of the river. Later this building was remodeled to house the utility office.

1941

To meet the rapids growth in the electric demands on the East side the present building at Market and Avon Streets was constructed and new equipment installed.

1948-1950

Electric loads had grown to such proportions by this time that it was no longer feasible to serve the entire system from the two substations at 2,400 volts. Plans were prepared and construction started on a 13,200 volt circuit system to encircle the city. Nine unit substations were installed at various points throughout the city to receive power from this circuit to supply the existing 2,400 volt distribution system. This project was completed in 1950.

1950

The city initiated a plan to improve the street lighting in 1950 by the installation of 32 mercury vapor lights on West Grand Avenue, from the bridge to 8th Avenue. Since then 254 of these lights have been installed on major streets making Wisconsin Rapids one of the finest lighted cities in Wisconsin.

1957

Electric loads had reached the capacity of the utility's Third Avenue and High Street high voltage substations. A new source of supply from the transmission line was obtained and a high voltage substation was constructed at 18th and Peach Streets. This station normally feeds the East side of the river, Kellner and Lake Wazeecha area but can, in the case of emergency, supply the entire system.