BACK                                                                                                                                                     BROKEN HILL ELECTRICITY SUPPLY - The first instance of electric lighting in Broken Hill was on April 2nd 1887 Three Western Arc Lamps were installed on the B.H.P. Mines Lease, one each over Rasp's and McCulloch shafts, and one in front of the smelters.                                                                 According to newspaper reports, the population was amazed at the brightness off the lights on the "Hill".                                                        The first lighting plant to operate in the town section was installed at the York Hotel  on September 20th 1889; a 3,000 candle - power arc lamp erected on one of the hotel's tower, and interior lighting was installed.    On 15th April 1890, the company carried out a successful trial of shop lighting in the premises of Ford and Callaghan's shop in Argent Street.                  1891 - Streets, hotels and stores were lit up in October by electricity supplied by the Broken Hill Electric Light and Power Company.                            A new plant was officially commissioned on 3rd October 1891, installed at the Blende Street premises, next to the "Barrier Miner Office" that was occupied by the Electricity Department until 1963 (both buildings have since been demolished).                                                             On December 6th 1905 a decision was made by the Broken Hill Municipal Council, to purchase the privately owned steam-driven electricity supply works situated in Blende Street.                                                      By 1923 there were 350 consumers, and the plant was becoming so overloaded that more generating capacity was required.                                          By the mid thirties, however both the generating plant and the site at Blende Street were finding difficulty in meeting the heavier demands being placed upon them , and in 1935 - 1936 a new station was built on the corner of Talc and Galena Streets.                                           Two new 400kw full diesel sets were installed and commissioned in 1936 and the new run in parallel with the old one until all the oil engines were transferred, one by one, to Galena Street.                                        Barrier Daily Truth - 24th April, 1979 - Several areas of the city were without power for some hours as the switchover to electricity from the Red Cliffs (Victoria) grid took place.  The switchover ended 88 years of electrical isolation for the city.                                                       In January 1958, the Electricity Commission of N. S. W. assumed responsibility for the city's power supply.                                                        A new line, the longest uninterrupted length of transmission line for N.S.W. ;Has been built by the Electricity Commission to provide an effective means of meeting the acute increase in demands for electric power.                     The line, with a new substation (near the Kanandah Road Industrial area) built at a cost of more than $10 million, connects the city to the N. S. W. bulk supply system through a link with the Victorian power network.                          The Broken Hill Line emanates from a Victorian substation at Red Cliffs near Mildura.            An arrangement with the State Electricity Commission of Victoria provides for an interchange of electricity for Broken Hill through a two - state interconnection involving the Snowy Mountain Scheme.                            The arrangement overcame the need for a much longer powerline to link the city directly with the extremities of the N.S.W.system.                              Galena Street Power Station ceased generating power in 1988.                                                                  _

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