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Show PARC II DESCRIPTION OF REGION The wood is now used in the manufacture of a variety of products such as plywood, mouldings, specialty paneling, treated posts and poles, excel- sior, boxes, pulp chips, and matches. Impetus to hydroelectric power generation was given by the mineral industry. The first hydroelectric development was at Aspen, Colorado, in I885. In I89I the Ames Plant, located in the upper portion of the Dolores drainage in Colorado, was among the first hydroelectric plants to transmit alternating current at high voltage. As the region became settled and the need for electricity grew, several small hydroelectric plants were built. As of December 1965* 16 of these small plants, with a total installed capacity of about 76,000 kilowatts, were operating in the region. It was not until the 1950's that steam-electric power production had significant growth. In 1950 only six small steam-electric plants with an installed capacity of about 56,000 kilowatts were operated by utilities. By i960 five additional steam-electric plants had been built, bringing the capacity to about ij00,000 kilowatts. In the 5 years preceding Decem- ber 1965> the installed capacity was increased by 233 percent to 1,335*000 kilowatts as large steam-electric units were built at the Four Corners (New Mexico), Hayden (Colorado), and Naughton (Wyoming) plants. These plants were located primarily to take advantage of the availability of low-cost coal. Most of their output is exported to load centers outside the region. It was also in the 1950's that the Colorado River Storage Project and Participating Projects were authorized by the Congress. Primarily for wa- ter conservation, the development was aided financially by the addition of hydroelectric power generating units at several reservoirs constructed under the authorization. By December 1965, 820,500 kilowatts of generat- ing capacity had been installed at the Glen Canyon and Flaming Gorge Power- plants. By December 1968 the capacity had reached 1,128,000 kilowatts with the addition of capacity at the Glen Canyon Powerplant and installa- tion of the Blue Mesa and Fontenelle Powerplants. The Glen Canyon, Flam- ing Gorge, and Blue Mesa Plants are parts of the Colorado River Storage Project in Arizona, Utah, and Colorado, respectively, while the Fontenelle Plant is part of the Seedskadee Participating Project in Wyoming. By 1968 plants of "the storage project and participating projects comprised about 93 percent of the total hydroelectric power capacity then operating in the region. At the present time most of the power generated at federally owned plants is exported from the region. These exports will continue until load growth in the region itself makes power generated there salable. The region has attracted many nonresidents to enjoy hunting, fishing, and other recreational opportunities. These visitors have made a major contribution to the region's economy. 12 |