Ford River Rouge Plant Power House
Almost from the time of its completion in 1921, this 225-by-350-foot structure supplied power for both the Rouge and Highland Park. The edifice is constructed of red brick and has eight 333-foot-high smokestacks. Situated south of the Dearborn Iron Foundry, the Power House was equipped originally with eight turbo-generators, each of which had a capacity of 35,000 horsepower. Currently, it is equipped with four steam-driven turbo-generators, three 110,000 kilowatt units, and one 15,000 kilowatt unit, giving the plant a total rated capacity of 345,000 kilowatts. The generators are powered by seven giant boilers which are approximately seven-stories high. These are heated in turn by pulverized coal, coke oven, blast furnace or natural gas, used individually or in a mixture. Each day the Power House produces enough electricity to meet the domestic needs of a city of 600,000 people. Not only does the plant supply the Rouge Complex but furnishes over a million kilowatt hours yearly to Detroit Edison as part of an interchange agreement. The Power House has undergone practically little alteration except for modernization of equipment. It has 195 sub-stations scattered throughout the complex.
View from east, showing east facade of Power House