Rochester Public Utilities history

Rochester's first municipally owned power plant generated electricity on March 14, 1894, but did not operate full-time until May when the city's contract with a private lighting company expired.

In 1910 the water company drilled its first deep well, about 418 feet deep.

After this plant burned down in October 1915, the dim working conditions and rough floor boards were replaced by the new plant construction on North Broadway.

The water department was created in 1916 following a May 25 bond issue to purchase a private water company.

In 1928, the school system approached the Utility Board with a steam heating proposal to run a steam line from the North Broadway Plant.

In 1937, People's Cooperative Power Association, a rural cooperative, negotiated an agreement to buy wholesale power from the North Broadway Plant.

Construction began in 1947 with a groundbreaking ceremony.

The new Silver Lake Plant went on-line in April of 1949.

In 1961, concrete workers refurbished the structure and remote controls were developed for plant operations.

In 1975, a 30-megawatt gas turbine unit was installed to supplement power during peak demand at the Cascade Creek substation, located between Seventh Street Northwest and Highway 14 West.

With the introduction of the Clean Air Act in 1976, issues of power plant emissions, PCBs, and water quality were addressed by RPU and other utilities.

1990 – Conversion of RPU's transmission system from 115,000 volts to 161,000 volts begins.

1993 – RPU joined the Mid-Continent Area Power Pool (MAPP), further ensuring Rochester's power requirements will be fulfilled into the next century.

1994 – RPU completes 100 years of electrical service.

1995 – RPU signs a Participation Sales Agreement with the Minnesota Municipal Power Agency (MMPA) for the output of the Silver Lake Plant.

1998 – City of Rochester experiences first total blackout in 20 years as storms damage major transmission lines in the area.

1999 – RPU Board elects Contracted Rate of Delivery (CROD) status with SMMPA. 1999 – Board approves a new combustion turbine.

2000 – The Board and Council approve the sale of electric revenue bonds to pay for the new turbine and other electric system improvements.

2001 – The Council/Board approves the sale of steam to the Mayo Clinic.

2002 – A new combustion turbine, similar to jet engines that power 747s, goes online in May.

The 500,000 gallon St Bridget Water Tower was completed. (photo 4903) The RPU Board approved the construction bid to build the Westside Energy Station, which will house the five Wartsila reciprocating engine generators approved in 2015 by the RPU Board.